If you are interested in having one or more dental implants installed to replace lost teeth and improve your smile one of the first things your cosmetic dentist will want to evaluate is the structure of your jawbone.
The foundation of a dental implant is surgically placed directly into the bone. If the bone matter has deteriorated to the point that there is not enough left to receive the titanium base of the implant you may need to have a bone graft.
The first step in the grafting process will be to take a scan of your jawbone to see the extent of the structural decline and exactly where reconstruction is needed.
The ideal grafting method involves using a portion of the patient’s own bone mass but only if it can be harvested from another part of the jaw so that the entire procedure involves the one site. If the bone has to be taken from a different part of the body it will necessitate a second surgery that the patient will have to undergo.
If an autograft is not possible the necessary bone matter may come from a donor bank. This type of graft is known as an allograft. Xenografts are taken from animal bone and alloplastic grafts are manufactured.
Southlands Dental provides extensive information to all their patients about any kind of cosmetic procedure they may have questions on. Call 720-886-0606 to arrange a consultation with Dr. Looze.
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