When you lose a tooth, your jawbone begins to break down without the stimulation provided by the roots of that tooth. If you don’t immediately replace it with a dental implant, you may be facing potential complications for future dental treatments and facial structure integrity. This natural bone resorption process can create challenges for procedures like dental implants, making bone grafting a critical solution for restoring both function and aesthetics to your smile.
At Goodove Oral Surgery & Dental Implants, our experienced team understands the importance of preserving and rebuilding bone structure to support your long-term oral health. As your hometown oral surgeons, we focus on providing individualized care and building lasting relationships with both our patients and referring dentists throughout Virginia Beach and Chesapeake. Our comprehensive portfolio of procedures includes advanced bone grafting techniques designed to restore the foundation needed for successful dental treatments.
What Is Bone Grafting?
Bone grafting is a surgical procedure that rebuilds lost or damaged bone in the jaw with bone material from another source. This process stimulates new bone growth, creating a strong, secure foundation for dental implants or other restorative treatments. It also helps maintain facial structure and inhibits the sunken appearance that can occur as a result of tooth loss. Dental providers currently place about 2.2 million bone grafts every year, highlighting how routine and successful this procedure has become.
Bone graft material can come from several sources, including:
- Autograft: Your own body
- Allograft: Donated human bone
- Synthetic materials
- Xenograft: Animal-derived bone
Our surgeons will determine the most appropriate type of graft material based on your specific needs and the extent of bone loss. During the healing process, which typically takes several months, the graft material integrates with your existing bone to form a strong, stable foundation that supports dental implants or other restorative treatments.
Types of Bone Grafts We Provide
At Goodove Oral Surgery, we utilize several different bone grafting procedures to address specific areas of bone loss and varying degrees of bone deterioration.
Socket Preservation
Socket preservation grafts are performed immediately after tooth extraction to stop bone loss and maintain the socket’s dimensions. This proactive approach helps preserve the bone structure needed for future dental implants and reduces the need for more extensive grafting procedures later.
Ridge Augmentation
Ridge augmentation procedures rebuild the height and width of the jawbone when significant bone loss has occurred. This technique is often necessary when dental implants cannot be placed due to insufficient bone volume. The procedure may involve adding bone graft material along with membrane barriers to guide bone regeneration.
Sinus Lift
Sinus lift procedures address bone loss in the upper back jaw area near the sinuses. When the sinus cavity expands after tooth loss, there may not be enough bone height to place dental implants. A sinus lift elevates the sinus membrane and adds bone graft material to create adequate space for implant placement.
The Bone Grafting Process
Your bone grafting journey begins with a comprehensive evaluation using advanced imaging technology, including our cone beam CT imaging system. This three-dimensional imaging allows our surgeons to assess bone density, volume, and quality to develop a precise treatment plan tailored to your needs.
Bone grafting is typically performed under local anesthesia, with sedation available for your comfort. Our highly trained surgical staff, all certified in CPR, monitors you closely during and after surgery to ensure the highest standard of safety and comfort. We provide a genuinely caring environment, offering amenities like warm blankets and the option to listen to your favorite music during the procedure.
Recovery time differs based on the extent of the grafting procedure, but most patients can return to normal activities within a few days. Complete healing and integration of the graft material typically takes three to six months. During this time, we’ll monitor your progress through regular follow-up appointments to ensure proper healing.
Benefits of Bone Grafting
Bone grafting provides the foundation necessary for successful dental implant placement, which offers the most natural-looking and functioning tooth replacement option available. By restoring adequate bone volume, patients can enjoy the confidence that comes with a stable, permanent solution to tooth loss.
The procedure also helps maintain facial structure by preventing the bone loss that can result in a prematurely aged appearance. When the jawbone deteriorates, the face can appear sunken, particularly around the mouth and cheeks. Bone grafting helps preserve your natural facial contours and youthful appearance.
Additionally, bone grafting can improve your overall oral health by providing better support for remaining teeth and preventing further bone loss. This proactive approach to bone preservation can reduce the need for more complex procedures in the future.
Goodove Oral Surgery & Dental Implants
Our devotion to excellence extends beyond surgical procedures to encompass the entire patient experience. With operating privileges at several local hospitals, including Virginia Beach Ambulatory Surgery Center, Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center, and Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters, we can accommodate patients with special medical or anesthetic needs for extensive procedures. This dedicated approach ensures that you get the highest quality care in the most ideal setting for your individual needs.
As your trusted hometown oral surgeons, we prioritize quality over quantity, building lasting relationships with our patients and the referring dentists who trust us with their patients’ care. Our experienced team combines advanced surgical techniques with a warm, caring approach to help you achieve optimal oral health outcomes. Contact our Virginia Beach office at (757) 412-2002 or our Chesapeake office at (757) 819-7002 to schedule your consultation.