Bone Grafting

Bone grafting is a common term to describe several different procedures which can be performed, including:

• Socket preservation – Bone graft is placed into a fresh tooth socket immediately after extraction to prevent and reduce bone loss
• Ridge augmentation – Use of bone blocks to increase the height/width of the bone
• Sinus lifting – Use of bone grafting to lift the sinus lining

There are a number of sources of bone which can be used for bone grafting, including:

• Alloplastic bone – bone graft derived from your body, which is usually from the jawbone (back of the jaw or the chin). In cases where a greater amount of bone is required, Dr Oztel is able to obtain bone from the hip or outer skull
• Alloplastic bone – synthetic bone which is derived from bovine or porcine animal products
• Allogenic bone – sterilised bone sourced from a person who has donated bone

Some patients who need a dental implant have insufficient bone in the area. The success of a dental implant requires good quality and quantity of bone. If there is insufficient bone height or width, then Dr Oztel will talk to you about your options for bone grafting.

Bone loss can be due to ageing, tooth loss or previous trauma. Dental implants need adequate bone surrounding the dental implant so that it becomes stable and fused to the bone. This will ensure long term success of the dental implant and will avoid complications.

Recovery time after bone grafting surgery depends on your age, medical conditions and complexity of the surgery performed. Depending on the complexity of your surgery, you may be ready to return to work within 1 to 2 days, or up to one week later.

Following surgery, it is normal to experience some pain, swelling and discomfort. These symptoms can by managed through rest, pain relief and applying cold compress. Depending on the complexity of your procedure, your symptoms may subside within a few days, or up to one week. A soft diet is required for short period post-surgery.

Generally, bone grafting requires a period of time to health prior to the placing of a dental implant. This period can range anywhere from 4 to 6 months. To assess the bone and its healing progress, Dr Oztel will organise a CT scan and discuss the results with you.

If you have any questions or concerns in the post-operative period, Dr Oztel will be available to discuss these with you.