Do I Have Enough Jawbone For Dental Implants
Madison, WI
 Many patients with missing or damaged teeth opt for dental implants because the procedure is beneficial for both their facial aesthetics and eating habits. The only caveat is that you need sufficient jawbone mass to support the dental implant in place. Oral surgeons drill the implant posts into the jawbone. These are often made from biocompatible materials like titanium.
Without enough jawbone, the implant will fall out of place and make it nearly impossible to chew foods normally. Our dentists, and , use various tools such as x-rays and other examinations to determine if the patient has enough bone density. This information is then used to generate a panoramic image of your mouth, including a detailed profile of your upper and lower teeth and the positioning of your nerves and sinuses. This allows our dentists to get an overview of whether you have sufficient jawbone mass or not. For a dental implant to work properly, it must be fully enclosed within the jawbone while also leaving adequate space so that it doesn’t disrupt the flow of nerves.
What if I Don’t Have Enough Jawbone?
If you’ve been told that you don’t have enough jawbone to support dental implants, you can first have a bone graft. Most patients who demonstrate a strong immune system and a healthy lifestyle may be asked to undergo a procedure known as bone grafting. Although it may sound complex, a bone graft is relatively simple to perform as long as it is carried out by an experienced oral surgeon.
Depending on your goals and choices, the donor material may come from your own bone tissue, domestic animals such as pigs and cows, or even a cadaver. In case the bone is borrowed from an external source, it undergoes a process to root out any infections and maximize compatibility with your body to minimize the risk of an autoimmune infection.
Why Don’t I Have Enough Jawbone Density?
Patients tend to lose out on jawbone density if they have a missing tooth. The longer you have a missing tooth, the greater the degree of bone loss. The body tends to reabsorb the bone tissue if it determines that it’s no longer needed to support the tooth. Patients may also lose bone mass from infection, gum disease, trauma, and infection. Bone mass can cause dramatic changes to your facial shape and even cause the skin around the mouth to start drooping.
Measuring Bone Needed for a New Bone Graft
Before a bone grafting surgery, the patient is first asked to undergo several exams that consist of x-rays and other images. This generates a 3D image of the mouth that allows the dentist to determine how much bone is needed for a dental implant. From here, our dentist can make an educated decision on the best course of action.
To see if you have enough jawbone to support dental implants, make an appointment at Madison Oral Surgery & Dental Implants today by calling us at (608) 960-7650. |
