At The Center For Oral Surgery of Las Vegas, we work exceedingly hard to provide our patients with their oral surgery needs. Our oral surgeon provides various treatments including wisdom teeth removal, facial reconstruction, dental implants, and bone grafts when necessary. We work with our patients to find the most appropriate treatment for them and their unique needs. For many patients who want a dental implant, they may also need a bone graft in order to support the dental implant. Our Las Vegas oral surgery team will ensure you know everything there is to know about bone grafts prior to your dental implant procedure.
A bone graft is a surgical procedure used to repair bones through the transplantation of other healthy bone tissues. These healthy tissues can then be used to recreate bone and any supporting tissues that may be missing. Bone grafting is required when a patient does not have a sufficient amount of healthy bone in their mouth to support a dental implant. This deficiency may be caused by a developmental defect, a face injury, gum disease, or an empty space after other teeth were removed.
Typically, bone grafts are necessary for patients who have lost a tooth and would like a dental implant. Every day the tooth is missing, bone loss occurs. Even if the patient comes to The Center For Oral Surgery Of Las Vegas the day they’ve lost their tooth, they will have already experienced some bone loss.
Depending on the patient and their specific bone loss, there are a few different types of bone grafts that may be used by your oral surgeon in Las Vegas. Our oral surgery team may perform one of the following bone grafts:
Socket Preservation Graft: This is the most common type of bone graft. It’s primary purpose is to prevent the atrophy of the bone before it can begin. Normally, bone from a human donor is placed directly into the socket, this will also prevent the socket from collapsing. Once the socket graft is complete, patients can undergo their dental implant within 4-6 months.
Lateral Ridge Augmentation Graft: This type of bone graft in Las Vegas is used to increase the width of the jawbone. A human bone donor will also be used for this type of graft.
Block Bone Graft: This bone graft is normally used when there are large defects in the jawbone. Normally a small amount of bone is harvested from the back of the jaw of the patient.
The type of bone graft used will be patient dependent. The healing time is usually about 4-6 months, but could be longer if an infection occurs.
If you have experienced the loss of a tooth and are interested in a dental implant, please contact The Center For Oral Surgery Of Las Vegas. Our oral surgeon and staff will be happy to answer all of your questions and concerns. Call our Las Vegas office for your bone graft at 702.367.6666. We look forward to hearing from you soon!