In some dental patients, the jawbone has deteriorated to a certain extent, making dental implants impossible to place until bone grafting is done. Fortunately, oral surgery procedures can usually accomplish this successfully, allowing the individual to acquire implants and replace teeth in a way that is very similar to having one’s own natural teeth.
Some senior citizens have experienced bone density loss that has affected the jaw. Known as osteoporosis, this disorder mostly affects women after menopause due to hormonal changes. Another reason for areas of the jawbone shrinking is when teeth have been missing for a long time. Without stimulation from tooth roots during biting and chewing, the bone no longer produces new cells to replace those that have been used up in normal bodily processes. Loss of jawbone density also can be caused by smoking, gum disease, and infections.
During Oral Surgery in Lawrence KS for bone grafting, the dentist uses tissue from a bone bank or from the patient’s back jaw or chin to build up the jawbone. Medically, this is called augmentation. The process has a very high rate of success, although the individual must wait several months before implants can be placed. If the person’s own bone is used, the grafted tissue will gradually fuse to the jaw. If medical bank tissue is used, it will stimulate the body to produce new bone cells in the area. Either way, there is new, stronger tissue for a healthier jaw. The surgeon from a clinic such as The Dentists in Lawrence monitors the process and determines when the time is right for implant surgery.
When implant rods are later installed in the jaw, those rods also fuse with the bone. They are made of materials that the body accepts as its own. Titanium metal is the most common material for dental implants; this substance also is commonly used in orthopedic surgery for pins and joint replacements. With the additional bone and implants, the patient now has normal chewing function again. The rods stimulate the jaw and prevent future deterioration. Visit website domain the learn more about tissue grafting and dental implant surgery.
