Bone Grafts Specialist

What is a bone graft? 

A bone graft is a minor oral surgical procedure the team at Goldstein & Freud, DDS, PLLC, use to augment your jawbone. It helps to strengthen your jawbone in the event of bone loss stemming from periodontal disease. 

Bone loss can lead to serious oral health issues, including severe decay, gum disease, and even tooth loss. Losing your teeth negatively impacts your appearance and causes speech, chewing, and digestion problems. A bone graft procedure can help restore your jawbone and reverse the harmful effects of bone loss. 

What are bone grafts used for? 

In severe cases of periodontal disease, your supportive jawbone can erode and thin out as a result of decay. Bone loss leads to a lack of foundational support for your teeth, causing them to become loose and, over time, fall out. Bone grafts can help you save your natural teeth. 

Another one of the main uses for bone grafts is for dental implant patients. If you’re missing teeth, getting implants is the premier tooth replacement option. This method which involves placing titanium posts that support prosthetics requires a strong jawbone. That’s where your dentist inserts the posts. 

Getting a bone graft can help provide the necessary foundation for a successfully placed implant that can last you a lifetime. 

How does a bone graft procedure work? 

During a bone graft procedure, your dentist uses a local anesthesia to make the experience as comfortable as possible. Then, using special dental instruments, your dentist makes a small incision in your gum tissue. This incision helps them gain access to the bone. 

Next, your dentist places the bone graft material -- a bone-like tissue -- over your existing jawbone. It will take some time for the graft to take. During this recovery period, the area may be sore. You can manage this soreness with prescribed pain medication and anti-inflammatory medication. The discomfort should only last for a few days at most. 

Over the next few months, the graft will begin to take. You will come back in for a few checkups with your dentist to make sure your recovery is progressing as planned. 

Is a bone graft procedure painful? 

No, your dentist uses anesthesia to make the procedure itself pain-free. There should be minimal discomfort during what is a very short, straightforward procedure. 

To find out more about bone grafts, call the office or use the online booking tool and schedule a consultation today.