Dr Rory Nolan has a master degree in Periodontics (the study of gums and dental bone support). He will assist you with an assessment of your bone grafting needs at Smile Solutions.
Bone grafting may suggest removing bone from other body parts, but in the majority of cases bone grafting (or what we prefer to term 'augmentation') simply involves placing filler bone carefully in position to allow and encourage your own natural bone to grow around it.
When a tooth is removed from the jaw, the bone begins to recede as the tooth root is no longer there to keep the bone in function. Bone loss can continue through time, often resulting in facial changes such as sunken cheeks where teeth have been lost from the back of the mouth and sunken lips when teeth have been lost towards the front. The sooner an implant is placed after tooth removal, the lower the likelihood of augmentation being needed.
It was once assumed that if a patient had insufficient jawbone they would not be a candidate for dental implants. Today, thanks to advances in dental and medical technology, patients with insufficient bone can have it rebuilt using augmentation.
Bone augmentation is a highly specialised field requiring the clinician to have advanced levels of formal training and clinical experience. At Smile Solutions we recommend that our resident oral and maxillofacial surgeon, Mr Tristan Madden, consult with you if you present with a complex case.
Do I need bone grafting?
Most patients will require a 3D imaging scan to ascertain the volume and quality of their jawbone before implant placement. This scan is done in our rooms using the latest in computer 3D imaging technology. The scan is viewed on our digital screens and helps with the planning of precise implant placement. This diagnostic method enables our clinicians to determine conclusively whether bone augmentation is required in each individual case.
When does the bone grafting procedure take place?
Bone augmentation can be done either before or during the implant placement procedure.
What is a sinus lift?
A sinus lift (also known as sinus augmentation) is a procedure that adds bone to your upper jaw in the area of your molars and premolars. The bone is added between your jaw and the maxillary sinuses, which are on either side of your nose. To make room for the bone, the sinus membrane has to be moved upward, or 'lifted'. This has become a routine procedure in our practice in the past 8–10 years for patients with multiple long-term missing molar teeth in the upper arch.
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Are there any other alternatives to bone grafting?
In some cases where bone grafting is not a viable alternative or is deemed unsuitable, Zygomaticus implants can be used for patients with a deficient upper jawbone. These implants are surgically inserted into the underside of the cheekbones to enable an implant-retained fixed bridge to be attached. This is most common in full upper arch rehabilitation where there is a large amount of bone loss.
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