When a person is missing teeth over a period of time the jaw bone will begin to shrink. This often results in a poor quality and quantity of bone for the placement of dental implants, as well as a shifting of remaining teeth and changes to facial structure. Most patients in these situations are not candidates for dental implants.
Today modern science gives us the ability to grow bone where it is needed. In doing so, we are able to restore our patients’ physical and psychological health and their overall well- being.
Bone Grafting Process
Bone grafting can repair deficient bone structure that was lost because of previous extractions, gum disease, or injuries. The bone graft material that is used in reconstruction can be one of three types: autologous, allogenic, or xenogenic. All three types of bone graft materials have advantages and disadvantages and are used independently or in combination, depending on the required reconstructive need and desired outcome.
Bone grafts can be described as major and minor. Major bone grafts are typically performed to repair defects of the jaws that may arise as a result of facial trauma, tumor surgery, or a birth defect. A large defect is traditionally repaired using the patient’s own bone, called an autologous bone graft. The bone is harvested from a number of different areas depending on the size of the graft that is needed. The skull (cranium), hip (iliac crest), and lateral knee (tibia) are common donor sites. These procedures are routinely performed in an operating room or in our office, depending on the procedure that is necessary. Minor bone grafts are smaller in nature and are used to reconstruct smaller tooth, jaw, or facial segments. These are routine surgical procedures almost always performed in the office setting under local or general anesthesia. Minor bone grafts are can be harvested from the same sites mentioned and also from the upper and lower jaws.
Allogenic Bone
Allografts have gained increasing popularity in reconstruction and their use among surgeons has risen dramatically, resulting in impressive, life-enhancing benefits. Allogenic tissues are obtained from living and cadaver donors. These grafts can either be cancellous (porous marrow) or cortical (hard outer table) in nature. Both variants allow the the ingrowth of blood vessels and the migration of bone remodeling cells into the tissues. Actually, the graft serves as a framework for new bone formation. Screening of all donors is carried out and the material is highly processed, so that there is no risk of disease transmission . Tissue allografts are simple and effective clinical tools for reconstructive surgery, while at the same time avoiding the pain, trauma, and morbidity of a second surgical procedure to obtain the graft material.
Xenogenic Bone
Xenogenic bone is derived from non-living bone of another species, usually a cow. The bone is processed at very high temperatures to avoid the potential for immune rejection and contamination. Like allogenic grafts, xenogenic grafts serve as a framework for bone from the surrounding area to grow and fill in.
Both allogenic and xenogenic bone grafting are advantageous in that they do not require a second procedure to harvest your own bone, as with autografts. However, because these options lack autograft's better bone-forming properties, bone regeneration may take longer and may be less predictable.