If you’re preparing to have restoration dentistry performed and your dentist has suggested that you’re in need of a bone graft, there are a few reasons why this could be. Your jawbone is an important part of your overall dental health, and it serves to support your teeth and is essential if you’re going to have healthy dental implants after experiencing significant bone loss. If your jaw isn’t regenerating sufficient bone to support your future dental work, your dentist may suggest a bone graft.
How Do I Know When I Need a Bone Graft?
Within the first year of losing a tooth you will have lost up to 25% of the bone width you had prior. If a missing tooth isn’t treated with restoration dentistry soon enough you may lose enough bone that a dental implant wouldn’t be supported. When bone mass disappears it cannot be restored without the use of a bone graft.
Periodontal disease is another huge contributor to bone loss, actually being capable of making your bone disintegrate, which is how teeth become loose and eventually fall out. The bacteria involved in periodontal disease slowly devour the bone and the periodontal ligaments that support your teeth until there’s nothing left to hold them in place. Once you have lost sufficient bone and ligament the only road to a restored smile may be a bone graft.
Dental trauma comes in many forms, and all of them can result in damage to your bone. Bruxism can cause your teeth to decay and your jawbone to suffer from the wear and tear it places on them. These teeth can also crack or fracture, and they are incapable of healing from this kind of damage. Another way you may experience dental trauma is by breaking your jawbone during a fall or an accident. Any of these conditions may result in your needing to receive a bone graft.
The conditions that surround the need for a bone graft may vary, but there is one thing that remains true in all cases. Bone grafts are an incredible way to help your body start building new bone by repairing the old damage. In the same way that a sunken ship can help serve as a basis for the foundation of a new coral reef, so can a bone graft help your body begin the process of restoring your damaged jaw.
If you’ve been wondering if a bone graft can help you start on your road to restoration dentistry then it may be time to make a call to the qualified professionals at Premier Dental of South Orange County. Dr. Marian Bradford has been helping patients like you tackle the most difficult restoration processes with compassion and expertise. Don’t let a damaged jaw prevent you from regaining that beautiful smile you remember. With the help of the experts in Aliso Viejo, CA you’ll soon be on your way to restoring your confidence and enjoying your favorite foods again with bone grafts and restoration dentistry.