Dental Bone Graft Concord & Lexington, MA

Bone loss in the jawbone is common when losing one or more teeth due to injury, decay, or trauma. Without the tooth in place to stimulate the jawbone, the bone around the missing tooth will deteriorate. Over time, the jawbone may deteriorate to such an extent that there may not be enough bone to place dental implants. In such cases, your dentist may recommend a bone grafting procedure. We offer dental bone grafts in Lexington and Concord, MA.

Bone grafting replaces or adds to the missing bone beneath the teeth. Dental bone grafts restore the function and health of the jaw bone. Grafting is one of the dental surgical procedures we provide to the public in Lexington and Concord, MA.

Dental Bone Graft in Lexington, MA

How Do I Know I Need a Bone Graft?

Sometimes, there are visual indications that show you need bone grafting. After you lose one or more teeth, you experience problems like facial sagging. When you no longer have bone, your face can appear sunken, making you look older. You may also need bone grafting after we remove permanent teeth or if you lose bone after gum disease.

The best way to know if you need grafting is to visit our dental office for an examination. We can take dental X-rays. With X-rays, we can see the teeth, gums, and jaw. That way, we can see areas of jaw bone loss and the sinuses. Once we see which areas of your mouth need supportive tissue, we will determine the type of grafting you need.

Types of Dental Bone Grafting in Lexington, MA

There are three types of bone graft procedures: autogenous, allograft, and xenograft. Autogenous grafts take bone from one area of the patient’s body and transplant it to the location in the mouth being restored. The bone is usually taken from non-essential bones, such as the chin area.

The benefit of an autogenous bone graft is that the bone used comes solely from the patient. This reduces the likelihood of rejection and infection. The bone is still “live,” meaning it still has active cellular material.

Allografts also use human bone transplanted to the area in the mouth being restored. However, allografts do not use the patient’s bone. Instead, the bone usually comes from bone banks. All allograft bone material is carefully screened and is considered safe.

Xenografts also replace bone in the area requiring treatment. However, the bone comes from a non-human source. Usually, the non-human source is bovine (cow). Allografts and Xenografts do not require a second surgical site to harvest bone. We can easily attain ample amounts of bone for these grafts.

Dental Bone Graft in Concord & Lexington, MA

To begin the grafting procedure, we use local anesthesia to numb the area where we will remove the bone. We use this bone to augment the bone in a different area of the mouth. You will not feel pain during bone grafting; we will ensure your comfort during this treatment. 

Our dentist makes an incision in the gums around where they will place the new bone. This way, the dentist can see exactly how much bone they need before harvesting it from the patient. This is true if they perform an autogenous graft.

Next, the dentist will cut the gums below the lower front teeth to expose the chin bone. The dentist will then remove some of the bone and any bone marrow. Then, the dentist closes the incision with stitches. They will anchor the bone removed from the chin in the jawbone with small titanium screws.

The dentist may place a mixture of your bone marrow and some grafting material around the bone graft. This will help speed healing. Then, they close the incision with stitches.

Healing After a Bone Graft

Post-procedure care for bone grafts is similar to other oral surgeries. After the procedure, we will give you antibiotics and pain medication. We will ask you to follow a diet of soft foods such as pasta, yogurt, and Jell-O. Minor swelling is normal. You can wrap an ice pack in a towel as a cold compress to reduce swelling. 

Once swelling recedes and you feel less pain, you can cut harder foods into smaller pieces. You may notice small pieces of bone fall out of your mouth. This is normal. They may look like tiny grains of sand. However, if you suspect you have complications, contact our office.

Bone grafts usually take about six to nine months to heal completely. We will not place dental implants until your mouth has healed completely.

Bone Grafting for Dental Implants

Before dental implant treatment, we ensure you have enough jaw bone to support the implant post. A dental implant comprises a titanium post we place in the jaw bone. Then, an abutment connects this anchor to a dental crown. Dental implants can support a single crown, bridge, or denture.

One of the benefits of dental implants is they help support the health of the jaw bone. When you lose a permanent tooth, you can experience jaw bone recession. Your jaw no longer has the support of the tooth root, meaning it can recede over time. Patients can lose 25 percent of their natural bone in the first year of tooth loss alone.

Patients who receive removable restorations can experience facial sagging and problems eating. Grafting restores bone for improved dental health and function. 

We will also recommend bone grafting after a tooth extraction. If you lose a tooth because you require an extraction, we can provide grafting to ensure you have healthy jaw bone.

Restore Your Bone Health

Receive a dental bone graft in Lexington and Concord, MA, to prepare for implant treatment. Learn more about the oral surgery procedures we offer in our dental offices. Call our Concord office at 978.391.6081. You can also call our Lexington office at 781.384.5892.

Visit our office if you are unsure if you need grafting but experience missing teeth or gum disease. Feel free to ask us any questions about oral surgery in our offices. We’re here to help.