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Over a period of time, the jaw bone associated with
missing teeth atrophies or shrinks. 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 candidates
for placement of dental implants.
We now 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 functional and
esthetic appearance. The bone graft procedures are referred to as:
Bone Grafting (Trauma)
Bone grafting can repair implant sites with inadequate
bone structure due to previous extractions, gum disease or injuries. 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 skull (cranium),
hip (iliac crest), and lateral knee (tibia), are common donor sites.
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 or sinus
lift graft. Dr. Kamel enters the sinus from where the upper teeth used to be.
The sinus membrane is then lifted upward and donor bone is inserted into 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 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.
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