What To Expect After Dental Bone Graft

Expect after the dental bone graft is normal that, after the intervention, the area becomes a little swollen and the patient notices discomfort.

It is not necessarily a complete rest or very special care, but it is recommended to limit physical exercise during the first two weeks and thus avoid excessive inflammation in the area.

It will be important to follow the recommendations of the specialist, taking the appropriate medication. The diet should also be adapted in the first weeks, being softer.

What is a dental bone graft?

Dental bone grafting is a treatment used in Dentistry and Stomatology and in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery to increase the size of the maxilla or jaw.

In this way, dental implants can be placed in patients with little or insufficient bone.

The anesthesia is usually local, but the specialist will agree with the patient, based on their personal needs.

Why is it done?

The dental bone implant is performed when the patient does not have a good bone base where to place a dental implant.

Placing a dental implant in a boneless patient will seldom have good results.

If an implant is made with little bone and fails, its removal is much more traumatic, since removing it means losing a lot of bone, leaving it in a worse situation than the initial one.

What does it consist of?

The bone to be implanted can be obtained from the same patient, usually, from the jaw, skull or iliac crest, or a donor bone graft (human or animal) can be used. It is always preferable to use bone from the same patient, if possible.

The graft can be of different types, the most common being:

  • Particulate dental bone graft or guided bone surgery.
  • Elevation in the maxillary sinus.
  • En bloc dental bone graft.

During the intervention

During the intervention, the specialist in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery or in Dentistry and Stomatology will make an incision in the area where the graft is to be made, lifting and separating the gum.

He will then place the chosen bone graft and fix it to the jaw with a screw.

The area will be covered with a membrane that will allow the implant not to be lost and the gum will be sewn so that the saliva does not infect the area.

The integration of the dental bone graft depends on the type of bone used and the size of the defect to be treated.

Normally the period for the graft to fully adapt is about three to four months.

If the bone used is artificial or animal, the time may be longer, over six months.

Preparation for dental bone graft

Before performing a dental bone implant, a joint diagnostic process must be followed, involving specialist dentists in different branches.

To assess the viability of bone grafts, it will be essential to do a 3D scan (CBCT), both of the lower and upper jaw.

This will allow the specialist to know the height, width and quality of the patient’s bone.

It will also allow to plan the surgery by computer.

For the rest, it is important that the patient follow the advice of the specialist regarding possible medication to take so that the postoperative period is more bearable.

Alternatives to this treatment

If a dental bone graft cannot be performed, dental implants cannot be used either, since the patient does not have enough bone base to seat them.

This makes the only viable alternative for these patients to be the use of dentures or removable prostheses.

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