Procedures

Bone Grafting

Major and Minor bone grafting

Over a period of time, the jawbone associated with missing teeth atrophies or is reabsorbed. This often leaves a condition in which there is poor quality and quantity of bone suitable for placement of dental implants. In these situations, most patients are not candidates for the conventional placement of dental implants.

We now have the ability to grow bone where needed. This not only gives us the opportunity to place implants of proper length and width, it also gives us a chance to restore functionality and esthetic appearance. Dr. Schelkun has been performing these procedures for more than 25 years. They are all predictable and successful. Intraoral and sinus grafting procedures are only done on nonsmokers. The more common bone grafting procedures are listed below.

Socket Grafting

Following the removal of a tooth it is sometimes necessary and beneficial to graft the socket or hole where tooth roots used to be. This allows for faster and more predictable healing of the socket with less bone loss. This allows the dental implant to be placed in the most ideal and esthetic position.

Sinus lift procedure

This procedure involves elevating the sinus membrane and placing the bone graft onto the sinus floor, allowing dental implants to be placed in the back part of the upper jaw.

Ridge Expansion

In severe cases the ridge has been reabsorbed and a bone graft is placed to increase the ridge height and/or width. In other cases, a technique called osseodistraction can be used to increase ridge height.

Nerve–repositioning

The inferior alveolar nerve, which gives feeling to the lower lip and chin, may need to be moved in order to make room for placement of dental implants to the lower jaw.

These procedures may be performed separately or together with dental implant placement. Most bone grafts today are done using donated bone. This avoids a second surgical site or donor site. The current processed donor bone has proved to be as successful and predictable as patient donated bone without the risks and complications from donor site surgery. If patient donated bone is necessarily there are several areas of the body which are suitable for obtaining the bone necessary for grafting. In the maxillofacial region, bone grafts can be taken from inside the mouth, in the area of the chin or third molar region. In more extensive situations, a greater quantity of bone can be obtained from the hip, the outer aspect of the tibia at the knee or from the cranium.

These surgeries are performed in Dr. Schelkuns’ outpatient surgical center under I.V. sedation or general anesthesia. Recovery is usually the 2 or 3 days. Recovery is generally determined by the use of narcotic pain medication similar what is needed for the removal of teeth.