Bone grafts can make dental implants possible

Implant solutions with bone grafting

You may have heard of dental implants in Cheltenham and visited a dentist to see if implants could work for you, only to be told you have lost too much bone density for implants to be fitted. Don’t worry though, as there are solutions available.

At Cheltenham Dental Spa we can use bone grafting to regenerate the jawbone and enable it to support dental implants.

Loss of bone density explained

Our bodies are designed to work in specific ways, and often one part needs another to support it and keep it healthy. This is the case when it comes the teeth and jaw. Our jaws are supposed to have teeth in them. When several teeth are missing, it can have an adverse effect on the jawbone over time. Without the teeth roots, the bone can actually recede, making it difficult to fit dental implants in Cheltenham. This can even affect appearance, giving a somewhat sunken look to the face.

How can bone grafts help?

Bone grafting is a procedure where either a piece of bone from another part of your body, or a synthetic bone, is grafted onto the jawbone. Sometimes a piece of bone from an animal or another human is used, but there is more chance of the body rejecting this. The body is encouraged to assimilate with the new piece of bone, regenerating the jawbone.

This may sound like a scary procedure, but it is a routine operation that is quick and simple, presenting very few risks. The bone for the graft is often taken from the hip, where there is not likely to be much pain and it is easy to heal. There will be a period of healing, while the new piece of bone meshes with the jawbone, which can take a few months. Once healing is complete, you can be fitted with dental implants in Cheltenham.

It is worth the trouble?

Only you can decide whether you want to go through having a bone graft – it depends on how much you want to have dental implants in Cheltenham. Come in for a consultation and we can go through the process, making sure you have all the information you need to make a decision.