The Center for Dental Reconstruction

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Metairie, LA

504-833-3368

Bone grafting

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Major & Minor Bone Grafting -

Over a period of time, the jawbone associated with missing teeth atrophies or reabsorbed. This often leaves a condition in which there is poor quality and quantity of bone suitable for placement of dental implants. In these situations, most patients are not initial candidates for placement of dental implants.

Today, we have the ability to grow bone where needed. This not only gives us the opportunity to place implants of proper length and width, it also gives us a chance to restore functionality and aesthetic appearance.

Major Bone Grafting -

Bone grafting can repair dental implant sites with inadequate bone structure due to previous extractions, gum disease or injuries. There are a variety of ways that Dr. Block can perform the bone grafting. The bone is either obtained from a tissue bank or your own bone is taken from the jaw, hip or tibia (below the knee). Sinus bone grafts are also performed to replace bone in the posterior upper jaw. In addition, special membranes may be utilized that dissolve under the gum and protect the bone graft and encourage bone regeneration. This is called guided bone regeneration or guided tissue regeneration.

Major bone grafts are typically performed to repair defects of the jaws. These defects may arise as a result of traumatic injuries, tumor surgery, or congenital defects. Large defects are repaired using the patient’s own bone. This bone is harvested from a number of different sites depending on the size of the defect. The hip (iliac crest), and lateral knee (tibia), are common donor sites. These procedures are routinely performed in an operating room and require a hospital stay.

Sinus Lift Procedure -

The maxillary sinuses are behind your cheeks and on top of the upper teeth. Sinuses are like empty rooms that have nothing in them. Some of the roots of the natural upper teeth extend up into the maxillary sinuses. When these upper teeth are removed, there is often just a thin wall of bone separating the maxillary sinus and the mouth. Dental implants need bone to hold them in place. When the sinus wall is very thin, it is impossible to place dental implants in this bone.

There is a solution and it’s called a sinus graft. Dr. Block enters the sinus above where the upper teeth used to be. The sinus membrane is then lifted upward and a graft material is inserted onto the floor of the sinus. Keep in mind that the floor of the sinus is the roof of the upper jaw. After several months of healing, the bone graft becomes part of the patient’s jaw and dental implants can be inserted and stabilized in this new sinus bone.

The sinus graft makes it possible for many patients to have dental implants when years ago there was no other option other than wearing loose dentures.

If enough bone between the upper jaw ridge and the bottom of the sinus is available to stabilize the implant well, sinus augmentations and implant placement can sometimes be performed as a single procedure. If not enough bone is available, the sinus augmentation will have to be performed first, then the graft will have to mature for several months, depending upon the type of graft material used. Once the graft has matured, the implants can be placed.

recombinant Bone Morphogenetic Protein -

Bone Grafting Overview

For a brief narrated overview of the bone grafting process, please click the image on the right. It will launch our flash educational MiniModule in a separate window that may answer some of your questions about bone grafting.

Bone Grafting Overview

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Recombinant Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) is the protein that your bone uses to repair itself when it is fractured or when going through a repair. The DNA code for this protein is known, and when the DNA is placed in cell cultures, BMP is made by the cells in a large container. The BMP protein is purified by the manufacturer, freeze dried, and sent to the doctor as a powder. We use this protein to form bone in your sinuses or large cysts. For your sinus graft, the sinus membrane is elevated and the protein is placed into the prepared sinus site. Bone forms within six months. Bone formation is often confirmed by a CT scan. Implants are then placed into the bone formed by the use of recombinant genetic engineering. The benefit of this procedure is eliminating the need to use bone from your hip, chin, or leg. It also eliminates the need to use another person’s bone (allograft) or bone from a cow (xenograft). Your personal preferences and your needs will be discussed at your consultation visit.

Ridge Expansion -

When teeth are lost because of periodontal disease or other reasons, the thickness of the bone may decrease, resulting in a thin ridge. If the height of the bone is adequate, the thickness of the bone can be restored with a simple, non-painful grafting procedure. A tunnel is created and bone graft material is placed under the soft tissue against your bone. After four months bone has formed within the thickened ridge, and implants can be placed. Other techniques are also available and will be discussed with you during the consultation visit. Dr. Block was the first surgeon in the United States to publish this method in the Journal of the American Dental Association.