Nowadays, dental implants in Ajax are frequently the preferred method of replacing teeth, and the number of people receiving implants is growing steadily each year. It is sometimes possible to have a dental implant fitted on the same day as a failing tooth is removed and is a procedure that is convenient and long-lasting.
But what happens if you lost teeth years ago when dental implants were less available? Could dental implants still be a viable form of tooth replacement for you? The answer is almost certainly yes, but the procedure recommended by your dental implant dentist in Whitby might be slightly different compared with a more recent tooth removal because of the effect on your jawbone.
How Can Tooth Loss Affect Your Jawbone and Dental Implant Treatment?
A dental implant is a small post, usually made from titanium alloy and which is surgically inserted into the jawbone. The post has screw-like threads that increase its surface area so the new bone can grow on and around the post more easily. Once the post is fused in your jawbone, it acts as a replacement tooth root, ensuring the bone around the implant remains healthy and strong. Dental implants need this strong connection with the jawbone to withstand the substantial forces created when you bite or chew food, but if there isn’t enough bone for them to anchor to, they can fail. Often, a lack of bone is an issue when teeth were lost years ago. Studies have shown approximately 40% of bone in the area around a missing tooth is lost during the first three years after extraction.
A standard-sized dental implant needs about 1.5-2mm of healthy bone around it, for stability and to allow the post to fuse with the bone, a process called osseointegration. When the bony ridge that used to support your teeth diminishes and becomes narrower, there might not be enough bone to place dental implants in Pickering successfully. But there is some good news! A bone graft can restore any missing bone.
How Bone Grafting Can Help
Bone grafting is a relatively common procedure in preparation for dental implants and builds up bone in areas where it is deficient. Usually, a form of artificial bone is used and is inserted into the jawbone during a short surgical procedure. Often, it will contain special proteins to encourage your body to produce its own bone cells so gradually the graft is replaced with your own bone and becomes part of your jawbone.
Some Implant Treatments May Not Even Need a Bone Graft
Depending on the treatment chosen, a bone graft may not even be necessary. For example, it is possible to restore a complete arch of teeth using a technique called All-on-Four in Brooklin. Because the dental implants are situated towards the front of the mouth, they make the best use of available bone in an area where it tends to be naturally thicker and stronger. Often, the new teeth are secured in place soon after surgery which is why you’ll also hear this technique called “teeth in a day.”
How Do I Know If a Bone Graft is Necessary?
Our dental office in Oshawa is equipped with an advanced cone beam CT scanner. This sophisticated machine provides us with detailed 3-D images of your existing teeth and your jawbone. We can see precisely how much bone is available and will plan your treatment to maximize its use.
If a bone graft is needed, please don’t worry as your dental health is in safe hands! Only the highest quality bone grafting materials are used here at Durham Dental Solutions, and our dentists are extremely experienced in providing bone grafts.
