Bone Grafting
Proceedures of Bone Grafting: Here at the Center for Oral Surgery, Dr. Letelier performs bone grafting at our Las Vegas Oral Surgeons practice. Dr. Letelier has over 10 years experience with highly sucessful bone grafting surgeries.
Major and minor bone grafting
Over a period of time, the jawbone associated with missing teeth atrophies or is 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 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 functionality and esthetic appearance. The bone graft procedures are referred to as:
Ridge preservation
Is the process of maintaining and restoring the natural height of your oral bone called the alveolar ridge. This is the bone that surrounds and supports your teeth. When a defect in the bone is created by a tooth extraction or periodontal disease, it is important to replace that lost bone with a material that will become bone again. Healthy bone is necessary for healthy teeth. If this bone is not preserved your teeth may shift, the bone may resorb and you may need a second procedure to replace the lost bone. If an implant is being planned to replace the extracted tooth it is important to preserve the bone in the site or reconstruct it if bone is missing.
Ridge-augmentation
In severe cases the ridge has been reabsorbed and a bone graft is placed to increase the ridge height and/or width.
Guided Tissue / Bone Regeneration
This surgical procedure "regenerates" the previously lost gum and bone tissue. Most techniques utilize membranes, which are inserted over bone defects. Some of these membranes are bio-absorbable and some require removal. These procedures are often used after extraction of teeth in order to regain the hard and soft tissue (bone and gum ) lost due to infection and periodontal disease.
Sinus lift procedure
This procedure involves elevating the sinus membrane and placing the bone graft onto the sinus floor, allowing implants to be placed in the back part of the upper jaw.
Nerve- repositioning
The inferior alveolar nerve, which gives feeling to the lower lip and chin, may need to be moved in order to make room for placement of dental implants in the posterior part of the lower jaw.
Distraction Osteogenesis
This procedure involves sectioning a piece of the atrophic bone and slowly moving it (about one milimitet per day) to a new position. New bone grows in the space created as the bone moves. This procedure is mainly performed when the bone has decreased height. It avoids having to remove bone from a different part of the patient’s body.
Platelet Rich Plasma
Platelets in your blood have growth factors that aid in bone and soft tissue healing. During your surgery Dr. Letelier can remove a small amount of blood from your vein, separate the platelets and concentrate them. This platelets can then be used in conjunction with your bone graft or soft tissue procedures to speed recovery and improve the quality of the grafted tissue.
These procedures may be performed separately or together, depending upon the individuals condition. There are several areas of the body which are suitable for attaining bone grafts. In the maxillofacial region, bone grafts can be taken from inside the mouth, in the area of the chin or third molar region or in the upper jaw behind the last tooth. In more extensive situations, a greater quantity of bone can be attained from the hip or the outer aspect of the tibia below the knee.
These surgeries are generally performed in the office surgical suite under IV sedation or general anesthesia. After discharge, bed rest is recommended for one day and limited physical activity for one week.
Bone Grafting Las Vegas NV. - By Dr. Carlos Letelier MD
