When you suffer from the loss of your natural teeth, over time this could weaken your jawbone and complicate your ability to receive dental implants. But we can strengthen these weakened portions of your smile, so you’re ready for tooth replacement! In today’s blog, your Overland Park, KS, prosthodontist talks about grafting and implant placement.
The Loss of Important Structure
How do you lose jawbone structure? When a tooth falls out, the body will notice and in response, will suspend the flow of calcium and phosphorus to the jawbone. Without these nutrients, the bone structure begins to lose mass and density, shrinking to cause further tooth loss and an older appearance. This could not only change the appearance of smile and facial structure, but also limit your ability to receive dental implants, as there simply isn’t enough structure to support new tooth roots. But with jawbone grafting, also known as ridge augmentation, we can help!
The Grafting Process
As the name implies, this involves grafting new structures to the jaw to strengthen the weakened areas, so they can support one or more dental implants. Our team will take bone tissue from other parts of your body, such as the hip, rear of the jaw, or knee. We could also employ synthetic or donor tissues too. We will apply these to the weakened areas and they will bond with the bone structure and create a matrix to encourage new growth, so your smile is strengthened and able to handle the placement of new teeth. We plan the process in detail with advanced digital imaging technology, and the use of local esthetics and sedation means your experience is a comfortable and calm one. In fact, you will have little to no memory of the procedure at all!
Dental Implant Placement
Once the restored area heals, we can plan the placement of dental implants to address the gaps in your smile and keep your jawbone strong and robust. Dental implants are made from biocompatible titanium, and insert them into the jaw directly to act as new roots. The body accepts them as such, and this preserves the jawbone and enables your new roots to stay in place for decades to come, potentially a lifetime for some patients. We then attach a crown to complete an individual one, or a bridge or denture if you’re receiving multiple implants.
If you have any questions about how we address weakened smiles with grafting or about dental implant placement, then contact our edam today to learn more.
Do You Need Jaw Surgery?
Our team wants to help you enjoy a stronger and more attractive smile. If you want to restore your smile and address tooth loss, then call your Overland Park and Prairie Village, KS prosthodontist, Dr. Stuart Dexter, DDS at (913)362-8200.