A bone graft is done to restore the loss of bone. The loss can occur from trauma, tooth loss and gum disease. Bone grafting is done to maintain the bone structure after the tooth is extracted. When a tooth is extracted the roots will leave a void in the bone, the bone will regenerate but not completely. Considering a bone graft will fill the empty space of the extracted roots and it helps to protect the surrounding teeth. Bone loss is a very natural process when teeth are missing. This process occurs and is referred to as bone resorption. This process does not occur any where else in the body. Restoring and maintaining facial bone (jaw bone) is important for several reasons.
Information about bone grafting
Grafting procedures place a framework of material in the areas of missing bone. Specialized cells in our blood continually enter the tissue. Damaged cells are removed and new healthy cells replace them. During healing the patients cells migrate into the bone graft material and remodel it into new bone.
There are different types of graft. Allograft bone is material taken from a different site in the patients body and placed into the area of missing bone. An Allograft bone is from an organ donor. The Allograft bone is readily available and it does not require a secondary surgical site. Allograft bone has been very well documented in clinical trials and has a very excellent safety record.
This is a great example of a molar being extracted and then a bridge was used to replace the missing tooth. You can actually see how the bone graft has replaced the roots. It is a lighter gray on the area of the missing tooth.
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