Bone grafting is often necessary before a patient can successfully receive dental implants. This is done to make up for the bone loss. Otherwise,the implants won’t last because the bone isn’t strong enough to hold them in place or there isn’t enough bone. When a person has ongoing tooth decay,gum disease,or they already wear dentures the bone loss can be significant.
BONE GRAFTING CAN BE A DIFFICULT PROCESS
According to an oral surgeon at TX,while the process of bone grafting does help offer the strength the dental implants need,the process can be difficult and time-consuming. It is going to require several appointments so the bone grafting can be conducted. There may be several surgical procedures involved for the implant part to move forward. After each surgery,there can be several months for healing before the next step can take place. This can add a year or longer to the process of dental implants.
Bone grafting is expensive due to the amount of time involved. This will increase the cost of dental implants. Few insurance providers cover it,giving the patient more out of pocket expenses to pay for. The risk of infection is high with bone grafting too,even when the patient does everything the dental professional asks them to.
NO GUARANTEES
According toPlano dental clinics,previously mentioned,many patients do well with bone grafting,there is no guarantee it will work. It is still possible for the implants to fail. The success rate when there is sufficient regular bone is about 95%. It can range from 73% to 97% when bone grafting takes place. It is upsetting and a waste of money to discover later on the implants won’t work.
BETTER ALTERNATIVE THAN BONE GRAFTING
Rather than taking the risk,there is a potentially better alternative to bone grafting. The process of the implants being attached to the cheekbone may offer a better outcome. This is called the Zygoma,and it is both thick and dense. The implants can be attached to these in place through the gum line to the cheekbone. This proceedure can be completed during one visit for the patient. The success rate is 97% based on studies showing patients who have had them for at least 12 years.
The cheekbones can fully support a full upper arch of teeth when necessary. Some patients will get four implants and others only get two with the Zygoma used. It depends on the patient assessment and how much bone they have. The downside to Zygoma to attach the implants to is this only works for the upper teeth. It isn’t possible to use this option for lower dental implants. Talk to a qualified professional about the options for upper teeth if you have missing teeth or dentures. Make sure they have the right training and methods for the procedure.
– Contributed by staff atBobby Jivnani