Bone Grafting

When creating your treatment plan for dental implants, you may be told that you need to have a bone graft performed. This additional procedure helps to ensure the success of your dental implant.

At Noles Family Dental, our dentists, Drs. Noles, Estes, and Steinhauer have successfully performed numerous bone graft procedures for individuals in Greensburg, Indiana and surrounding areas.

Bone Grafts Rebuild and Restore Your Bones

Your body’s natural healing process can often repair minor damage to the bones, such as breaks and fractures. Unfortunately, the natural healing process only repairs bones; it doesn’t recreate or rebuild bone. This means that once bone is lost, it is lost forever. That is when a bone graft is needed.

A bone graft is a surgical procedure that takes healthy bone tissue and places it in areas with significant bone loss. Placing the healthy bone tissue in this area encourages growth and strengthening of the surrounding area. Over time, the area becomes strong enough to support a dental implant.

There are several different types of bone graft procedures. Some examples of the bone graft procedures that our dentists perform at Noles Family Dental include:

• Major bone graft
• Minor bone graft
• Ridge augmentation
• Sinus lift

Why Bone Loss Occurs

People experience bone loss in the jaw for a number of reasons. Some of the most common reasons for bone loss include:

• Defects in the bone and surrounding tissue
• Severe infection of the bone
• Injury that results in damage to the bone
• Damaged teeth
• Large cavities
• Untreated gum disease
• Thin, short or fragile bone
• Weakness of bone density
• Certain medical conditions
• Wearing dentures that don’t fit properly
• Missing teeth

Preparing for Dental Implants With a Bone Graft

Before performing a dental implant, our dentists, Drs. Noles, Estes, and Steinhauer at Noles Family Dental use imaging, such as digital X-rays, to determine if there is enough bone for the upcoming procedure. If it is determined that there isn’t enough bone to support the implant or that the bone isn’t strong enough, our dentists will discuss your treatment options with you.

There are a number of different types of bone graft procedures that can be performed to address bone loss. Our dentists will help you determine which procedure will work best for you and incorporate it into your dental implant treatment plan.

Typically, a bone graft is performed as a separate procedure from the dental implant process. This procedure is performed several months in advance as you will need to give the bone time to heal and strengthen. Our dentists will provide you with an estimated timeline for how long you may have to wait before you can proceed with getting dental implants.

Trust the Dentists of Noles Family Dental To Perform a Bone Graft

If you need a bone graft or want dental implants but think you might not have enough bone to support them, give Noles Family Dental a call. Our dentists have experience in performing numerous successful bone grafts. We are also experienced in assessing your oral health to determine if a bone graft is needed before a dental implant.

Contact our office today to schedule a consultation with our dentist in Greensburg, Indiana to learn more about bone grafts and discuss whether it is a procedure that is needed before you can get dental implants. Appointments for consultations can be made by phone or by filling out our online form.