Ideally, when a person is considering getting a dental implant, the bone in the implant area will be healthy and dense enough for a successful placement. When there is a weakness or bone loss, dental bone grafting is a method of restoring the area.
Why Bone Condition Matters
Bone needs stimulation in order to grow and stay healthy. The implant is placed directly in the bone and after the bone has fused to the implant, the action of chewing and biting acts on the post as it did on the root of the natural tooth. The stimulation keeps the bone healthy.
Occasionally dental bone grafting is needed for the implant to be successful. Bone loss and weak bone will not support an implant. Dental bone grafting increases the amount of bone and may restore health and density to weak areas.
Circumstances for Dental Bone Grafting
There are several reasons why the bone may not be suitable for an implant. When a tooth is extracted, over time the bone in that area shrinks. If you are considering implants to replace teeth that have been missing for years, the bone may be thinner or weaker now. This is true even if you have been wearing dentures.
Periodontal disease can also cause bone loss. Infection caused by the gum disease can dissolve the bone around the teeth. This is why people lose teeth from gum infections. The infection caused by an abscessed tooth is another cause of bone loss.
At Katy Cypress Oral Surgery, we want to ensure that our dental implants will have the best chance of being successful. For some patients, this means dental bone grafting at the implant site. Contact us for an appointment to learn more about dental implants and bone grafting.