The role of a bone graft/sinus lift for dental implants

May 9, 2017 | Advanced Dental Treatments

If you have lost several teeth or indeed all of your teeth, you may have experienced bone loss or resorption.

This is when the jaw bone at the site of the missing tooth in question shrinks (resorbs) into the body. According to studies, 25% of bone is lost after you lose a tooth or if you have one extracted. This is because your jawbone is protected and preserved through the stimulation it receives when you chew. When it does not receive this stimulation, it will quickly resorb into the body.

Illustration of teeth showing dental implant structure

Other causes of bone loss

  • Misaligned teeth can cause bone loss as your ability to chew is impaired which prevents the bone receiving the right amount of stimulation for it to be maintained.
  • Infection can damage the bone, causing loss.

Bone grafting for dental implants

If you wish to have dental implants placed but you do not have sufficient jawbone, bone grafting can be carried out in order to build up the correct amount of bone to support them. Bone grafting is a very simple procedure with a very high success rate and involves using your own bone or donor material to rebuild your jaw. Following a healing period, the dental implants procedure can begin.

When is a sinus lift necessary?

A sinus lift is necessary when your upper jaw has insufficient bone height or when you are looking to have dental implants placed but your sinuses are too close to your jaw for this to be carried out. Your mouth cannot support dental implants as the bone is too thin, so your dentist will raise your sinus by pushing the membrane lining the sinus away from your jaw and packing in bone graft material into the vacant space where the sinus cavity was. Once the bone graft material has fused with your jawbone, the implants can be placed.

If you would like to know more about dental implants or you are worried about potential bone loss, please do not hesitate to contact us and we can arrange an appointment for you.

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