Are Bone Grafts Necessary for Dental Implants?

Graphic illustration of a dental implant and restoration

Tooth loss is a serious issue. When you don’t have all your teeth, it affects what you can eat, how you speak, and how you look. Hillstream Dental offers dental implants, one of the most preferred tooth replacement options. Implants have many benefits over traditional dentures and bridges. The process and recovery are a bit more complicated, however. Some people may wonder if bone grafts are necessary for dental implants?

What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants have two parts: a post and a restoration. The biocompatible post is surgically inserted into your jawbone. Over the next few months, it fuses to the bone. When you’ve healed, we’re ready to put on a custom restoration. If we’re only replacing one tooth, a dental crown works best. For multiple teeth, there are bridges or implant-stabilized dentures.

Will You Need a Bone Graft?

Before they place the implant, our dentists need to be sure you have enough bone to support the post. When you have all your teeth, chewing keeps the jawbone strong. After tooth loss, your jawbone doesn’t get as much exercise, so it shrinks. If you’ve been missing teeth for a while, you’ve likely lost some bone. Even if you only recently lost a tooth, you might still need a graft. After a physical exam and X-rays, we’ll know if you need a bone graft. A specialist will provide the treatment. They move healthy bone tissue to your jawbone. This provides the support an implant needs. It can take 4-6 months for the graft to heal, so it does add time to the dental implant process.

Dental Implants at Hillstream Dental

Dental implants are very similar to natural teeth. You can eat what you want and clean your teeth normally. The post also replaces the lost tooth root, so your jawbone gets the exercise it needs. We think you’ll find that having the implant is worth the time required for healing. If you have any questions about the dental implant process, please reach out to us! We have offices in Rochester Hills and St. Clair Shores.

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Hillstream Dental

Hillstream Dental