Can You Get a Dental Implant If You Have Bone Loss?

Although losing a natural tooth can be quite traumatic, there are several options for replacing it that need to be taken into consideration. While each situation is a bit different, we can confidently say that dental implants are generally known to be one of the most stable and long lasting replacement options. According to the American Dental Association, more than 5 million dental implants are placed each year in the US alone. The benefits are many including the fact that they can help preserve the jaw bone. In a situation where there is bone loss, bone grafts provide additional area for an implant to hold and even help regenerate bone. Once a bone graft is placed, it typically takes about 4 months for the bone graft to fuse together and generate new bone. Then, you’re ready for implant placement.

In a recent BURST tv segment, Dr. Shaun explained the three main types of bone grafts that can be done if a patient has limited bone available at the implant site. These three types include: socket preservation, ridge augmentation, and sinus lift. Socket preservation is a graft that is placed in the tooth socket after an extraction. This slows the resorption process and allows good bone mass to place an implant. Ridge augmentation is a graft that is intended to restore the entire jaw ridge. This type of graft can be needed if a tooth has been missing for a long period of time and the width has thinned. A sinus lift bone graft is indicated when there is not enough bone to place an implant in the upper jaw. In order to place an implant, the sinus membrane is lifted and bone graft material is placed into the area.

References: http://www.ada.org/~/media/ADA/Public…