How Dental Implants Help Prevent Bone Loss
Edmonds, WA
Dental implants are one of the best options for replacing missing or heavily damaged teeth. They are meant to last for the rest of your life while looking, working, and feeling exactly like your natural teeth. Unfortunately, not all patients are good candidates for dental implants. This can be for a variety of reasons, but one of the most common is having insufficient bone to support the dental implant materials. That’s why at Perrinville Family Dentistry, we’re proud to offer the latest in bone regeneration technology so that everyone can benefit from the incredible advantages of dental implants.
What is Bone Regeneration?
Bone regeneration is a very common and routine procedure to help make patients into optimal candidates for dental implants. While there are many different techniques for regenerating bone, many of the most common use graft material. The gum tissue is folded back, and then graft material is added to the remaining bone. There are a number of different materials that might be used depending on the volume of graft needed. The material might be taken from your own bones, from another person’s bones, from an animal’s bones, or from entirely synthetic materials. Over time, your bone will use the graft like scaffolding, growing back and replacing the inserted material.
There are also several other approaches to regenerating bone. Emdogain gel is an innovative treatment that helps rebuild not just your bone, but the ligaments and gum tissue as well using a specialized protein. During guided tissue regeneration, we put a membrane between your gums and bone. Functioning as a barrier, this membrane allows both tissues to regenerate without the faster-growing gums and ligaments interfering with the slow-growing bone.
Do I Need Bone Regeneration?
Bone regeneration is necessary when the patient lacks the bone volume to anchor an implant. Because an implant is placed in the jawbone itself, replacing the root of the missing tooth, it requires sufficient bone mass. Unfortunately, gum disease can often erode not just the gums, but the bone itself. Bone loss can also happen when a tooth is missing. Because the bone beneath is no longer being constantly stimulated and does not need to support a tooth, it gradually weakens and shrinks. This bone loss can be rapid and severe - during the first year after a tooth is lost, you can lose up to 25% of your bone! This makes bone regeneration a good choice even for patients who do not plan on getting implants, though the only way to permanently prevent further reduction is with an implant.
Regenerate Your Smile Today!
It is easier than ever to get the best teeth of your life. Bone regeneration technology is safe and accessible and can make you the perfect candidate for receiving dental implants that can give you back not just your smile, but your confidence too. At Perrinville Family Dentistry, we’re committed to working with you every step of the way to ensure that you have great oral health. Contact us today at (425) 616-0620 to set up an appointment and find out how we can help you! |
Hours
(425) 616-0620 
Gary J. Jacky, DMD