Have you lost natural teeth that you want to replace, or otherwise want a smile makeover with dental implants? Have you had a dental implants consultation, only to be told that because of your missing teeth, you’ve lost too much bone tissue in order to have the dental implants surgery immediately performed? If so, the dental professional you met with likely told you that you need a bone grafting surgery before you can have dental implants placed. If this sounds like you, you’re in the right place. Periodontist Dr. Kissel performs both bone rebuilding and dental implant surgeries, and he’s here to explain the procedures to you.
Our tooth roots do more than just hold our teeth in place. They actually stimulate the growth of jaw bone tissue. If you’ve lost a tooth or teeth and they haven’t been replaced immediately, it’s possible that the lack of the tooth root in your jaw bone will result in jaw bone tissue loss. If you don’t have adequate jaw bone tissue, you can’t have dental implants placed without first undergoing a bone rebuilding surgery. This additional, pre-implants procedure allows periodontist Dr. Kissel to rebuild your lost jaw bone tissue. The surgery, however, is very individualized. While you can collect some general information about the procedure, the best way to learn how the surgery can be performed on you is by having a consultation and evaluation with Dr. Kissel himself.
As we’ve already mentioned, surgical plans for rebuilding lost jaw bone tissue are very unique. However, we can provide you with some general information.
The typical patient who requires jaw bone rebuilding has a missing tooth or teeth that have been gone for quite some time. He or she would also now like dental implants placed, but because the jaw bone tissue hasn’t been stimulated by a natural tooth root for a while, the jaw bone tissue has shrunk. There’s no way the patient can get dental implants without first having surgery to rebuild his or her jaw bone tissue.
Patients who choose Dr. Kissel for their jaw bone rebuilding surgery will arrive at his periodontal office and be numbed with anesthesia. This is to ensure you are completely comfortable during your surgery. From there, an incision will be made to access your jaw bone. The decided materials will then be placed into your jaw bone and secured, and then the surgical site will be sutured up.
After your surgery, Dr. Kissel will prescribe you antibiotics to prevent infection at the surgical site. Make sure to take these exactly as prescribed to prevent and infection and avoid complications. He’ll also provide you with pain medication to manage any discomfort you may feel, as well as an antibacterial mouthwash.
Immediately after surgery, you’ll be placed on a soft food diet and need to avoid chewing on your surgical site. If you normally wear dentures, you may not be able to do so in the first few days of healing. If you happen to have adjacent teeth next to the surgical site, you may have a temporary bridge placed to protect the surgical site.
It takes the average bone grafting surgery patient 6 to 9 months to fully heal from the procedure. After that, he or she is ready for dental implants placement.
As we’ve already mentioned, surgical plans for rebuilding lost jaw bone tissue are very unique. However, we can provide you with some general information.
The typical patient who requires jaw bone rebuilding has a missing tooth or teeth that have been gone for quite some time. He or she would also now like dental implants placed, but because the jaw bone tissue hasn’t been stimulated by a natural tooth root for a while, the jaw bone tissue has shrunk. There’s no way the patient can get dental implants without first having surgery to rebuild his or her jaw bone tissue.
Patients who choose Dr. Kissel for their jaw bone rebuilding surgery will arrive at his periodontal office and be numbed with anesthesia. This is to ensure you are completely comfortable during your surgery. From there, an incision will be made to access your jaw bone. The decided materials will then be placed into your jaw bone and secured, and then the surgical site will be sutured up.
After your surgery, Dr. Kissel will prescribe you antibiotics to prevent infection at the surgical site. Make sure to take these exactly as prescribed to prevent and infection and avoid complications. He’ll also provide you with pain medication to manage any discomfort you may feel, as well as an antibacterial mouthwash.
Immediately after surgery, you’ll be placed on a soft food diet and need to avoid chewing on your surgical site. If you normally wear dentures, you may not be able to do so in the first few days of healing. If you happen to have adjacent teeth next to the surgical site, you may have a temporary bridge placed to protect the surgical site.
It takes the average bone grafting surgery patient 6 to 9 months to fully heal from the procedure. After that, he or she is ready for dental implants placement.
Aside from the information above, there are no additional steps you’ll need to take to have dental implants placed if you initially need your jaw bone tissue rebuilt. Once you’ve healed from your first surgery, the titanium dental implants will be able to fuse with your newly rebuilt jaw bone tissue for dental implants success.
If you have a missing tooth or teeth and desire dental implants, it’s understandable that you may be disappointed to learn that you first need a bone grafting procedure. After all, you simply want to restore your smile and regain the oral functionality of having natural teeth. Why does it seem like the odds are stacked against you?
Rest assured, that even if you do need a bone grafting procedure, dental implants are still the best tooth-replacement option ever. Stronger than dentures and more sturdy than a dental bridge, dental implants are built to last a lifetime, look more natural than any other tooth-replacement option, and allow you to eat all your favorite foods without the risk of your implants moving, shifting or breaking.
Dr. Kissel understands that patients who desire dental implants may be initially disappointed to learn they require a pre-surgery, first. However, it’s important to remember that Dr. Kissel is looking out for your overall, long-term results. The best way to restore your smile is to ensure that your dental implants will successfully bond with your jaw bone tissue, and for some patients, that means surgically rebuilding the jaw bone, first.
It’s important to note, that even if you need jaw bone rebuilding surgery first, dental implants still are the best tooth-replacement system for you. They stimulate the jaw bone to prevent future tissue loss, are built to be permanent, and don’t slip and slide like dentures or are prone to breaking like dental bridges.
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