Bone Grafting
A Maxillofacial Expert
As the foundation of your smile, your bone plays an important role in your oral health and function. It supports your teeth and helps preserve your facial structure. But it needs the stimulation of tooth roots to remain dense and strong. When teeth are extracted or lost, the jawbone no longer receives stimulation and will resorb and shrink. Bone loss can lead to shifting and loosening of remaining teeth, loss of lip and cheek support, jaw joint problems, and more. To help ensure that these functional and esthetic consequences do not occur or worsen, we provide bone grafting in Kirkland, WA.
As an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, our doctor is especially qualified to offer comprehensive bone grafting services, from socket preservation to sinus lifts. Oral surgeons receive additional years of advanced surgical training outside of dental school in complex bone grafting treatment and are abreast of the latest techniques and materials used in these procedures. As experts in maxillofacial surgery, they are the most qualified to restore bone structure and volume lost due to extensive tooth loss, advanced gum disease, cancer treatment, severe oral trauma, and in cases of congenital deformity. With years of dedicated surgical experience, our oral surgeon at Seattle’s Best Smiles can restore your jawbone after tooth extraction and prepare you for life-changing dental implants through comfortable, predictable bone grafting treatment.
The Process For Restoring Lost Bone
1
Socket Preservation
Socket preservation is a bone grafting procedure we complete after tooth extraction. This involves packing bone graft material into the empty tooth socket. Socket preservation slows the resorption process where the tooth is missing. It can also help preserve the health of the bone until a dental implant can be placed.
2
Ridge Augmentation
Ridge augmentation refers to a bone grafting procedure that restores the natural density and contours of part or the entirety of a jaw ridge. Restoring healthy bone levels to a jaw arch can make dentures more comfortable and fitted to your gumline.
3
Sinus Lifts
When bone in the premolar or molar areas of the jaw has lost density or volume, you may benefit from a sinus lift. Gently lifting the sinus cavity, bone grafting material can be placed beneath to restore proper bone height and density. A complex surgery, a skilled oral surgeon is the best choice if you need this treatment.
When Treatment Is Ineffective
We always strive to preserve a natural tooth, though in some cases, a severely infected or damaged tooth may not be treatable. When this happens, extraction is the best course of action to relieve your toothache and protect your overall dental health, as it will keep any infection from spreading. With the exception of wisdom teeth, most extracted teeth should be replaced. This is due to several factors. Jawbone tends to recede where there are gaps in your smile. You may find eating and speaking awkward after tooth loss. You may also be embarrassed by that gap in your smile.
To avoid all of those complications, we recommend some form of tooth replacement. Dentures and bridges are popular options that have been in use for many years. Patients who are looking for a dependably stable choice generally find it in dental implants. Dental implants look, feel, and function just like real teeth—and they’re built to last. They never develop decay, so they’re never likely to cause you a toothache. Sometimes tooth pain is the beginning of a new opportunity. Dental implants give you a second chance at a healthy tooth and a complete, attractive smile.
