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South Calgary Periodontal Group Suite #201, 747 Lake Bonavista Drive SE Calgary, Alberta, T2J 0N2

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Bone Grafting

Periodontal disease is the leading cause of bone loss in your mouth. However, you may also lose bone structure from other things such as ill-fitting dentures and/or facial trauma. Bone grafting is a way to replace lost bone tissue and to encourage natural bone growth. Bone grafting can be used for a wide variety of periodontal procedures. These days, we have the ability to grow bone where needed. This not only gives us the ability to place Dental Implants – it gives us the ability to restore functionality and aesthetic appearance.

frame-img3What are the different kinds of Bone Grafts?

There are several different kinds of dental bone grafts. These are the most common:

  • Autogenous bone graft – In this type of graft, the bone is removed from elsewhere in the body and implanted in the mouth.  Common donor sites for bone grafting include the iliac section of the pelvis, the chin and the posterior third molar areas of the jaw.  If large amounts of bone need to be harvested, the hip or the shin bone (tibia) are generally used.
  • Allograft – Synthetic bone (man-made) can be created in the laboratory and used in the bone grafting procedure.  Bone can also be obtained from a bone bank (cadaver bone).
  • Xenograft – This is the implantation of bovine (cow) bone.  A xenograft is perfectly safe and has been used successfully for many years.  Ample bone can be obtained and no secondary donor site is necessary.

Why do you need Bone Grafting?

There are a wide variety of reasons why you may need a bone graft, but generally the most common reason is to restore the jaw bone.

dental-bone-graftWhat Procedures do you use Bone Grafting for?

We use bone grafting for many periodontal procedures, but we use it most frequently in these procedures:

  • Dental Implants – Implants are the preferred replacement method for missing teeth because they restore full functionality to the mouth; however, implants need to be firmly anchored to the jawbone to be effective.  If the jawbone lacks the necessary quality or quantity of bone, bone grafting can strengthen and thicken the implant site.
  • Sinus Lift – A sinus lift entails elevating the sinus membrane and grafting bone onto the sinus floor so that implants can be securely placed.
  • Ridge Augmentation – Ridges in the bone can occur due to trauma, injury, birth defects or severe periodontal disease.  The bone graft is used to fill in the ridge and make the jawbone a uniform shape.

What does the bone grafting treatment involve?

Normally, bone grafting can be performed under local anesthetic. However, if large amount of bone needs to be grafted, general anesthetic may be required to perform the procedure.

The grafting material needs to be either harvested or prepared for insertion. A small incision is made in the gum tissue and then is gently separated from the bone. The bone grafting material is then applied to the affected site.

The gum is then sutured into place and you will be booked for a follow-up appointment to double check the healing process.

At South Calgary Periodontal Group, we are always welcoming new patients.
Call us at (403) 278-5446 to book your Bone Grafting consultation appointment today!