Your teeth do more than help you chew and smile; they also keep your jawbone healthy and strong. Every time you bite or chew, your tooth roots stimulate your jawbone, helping maintain its density and shape.
Tooth loss causes rapid bone resorption, with up to 25% of bone width and 63% of overall bone volume lost within the first 6 to 12 months. Whether you lost a tooth or teeth to severe decay, trauma, gum disease, conventional dentures, or bridgework, bone grafting in Starkville, MS can remedy this!
The alveolar ridge is the part of your jawbone that surrounds and supports your tooth roots. After a tooth is removed, the empty socket usually fills in naturally with new bone and tissue. But if the surrounding bone is damaged or there is insufficient bone to heal properly, the socket may not regenerate completely. As a result, the height and width of the jawbone can gradually shrink over time, making future tooth replacement more challenging, while also negatively impacting smile aesthetics.
The alveolar ridge is the part of your jawbone that surrounds and supports your tooth roots. After a tooth is removed, the empty socket usually fills in naturally with new bone and tissue. But if the surrounding bone is damaged or there is insufficient bone to heal properly, the socket may not regenerate completely. As a result, the height and width of the jawbone can gradually shrink over time, making future tooth replacement more challenging, while also negatively impacting smile aesthetics.
Several types of grafting materials can be used to treat jawbone loss at Golden Triangle Oral and Facial Surgery & Dental Implant Center, depending on your needs and treatment goals. Each option is designed to support new bone growth and create a stable foundation for future dental restorations.
Bone is harvested from another area of your body, most commonly the chin, jaw, hip, or lower leg. Because it contains your own living bone cells, an autograft is often considered the gold standard for bone regeneration.
Donor bone obtained from a tissue bank is carefully screened, processed, and sterilized before use. This option eliminates the need for a second surgical site and is widely used in bone grafts before dental implants in Starkville, MS.
This grafting material is derived from an animal source, most often bovine (cow) bone. It is thoroughly purified and processed to ensure safety while providing a framework for new bone growth.
Synthetic bone graft substitutes made from biocompatible materials, such as ceramics or polymers, can also be used. These materials help stimulate bone regeneration and support your body’s natural healing process.
During ridge augmentation, Dr. Andrew Martin and Dr. Caleb Hardman rebuild areas of the jaw that have become too narrow or thin after tooth loss, injury, or advanced gum disease. Bone grafting material is placed to restore the height and width of the jawbone, creating a stronger foundation for future dental implants.
Healing typically takes several months as your natural bone grows and integrates with the graft. This procedure also helps restore natural facial contours while improving long-term implant stability.
The maxillary sinuses are empty air-filled spaces behind your cheeks and on top of your upper teeth. A sinus lift is recommended when there is not enough bone beneath the maxillary sinuses to securely support dental implants in the upper back jaw. During the procedure, the sinus membrane is gently elevated, and bone graft material is then placed beneath it to increase available bone height.
Once healing is complete, implants can often be placed with excellent long-term success. A sinus lift enables many people who were previously told they lacked enough bone in their upper back arch to qualify for dental implants.
In rare cases, the nerve that supplies feeling to the lower lip and chin sits too close to the area where an implant is required. An outer section of the cheek side of the lower jawbone is removed to expose the nerve and vessel canal. The nerve and vessel bundle in that area is then isolated, slightly pulled to the side, and the implants are placed.
This advanced procedure is typically reserved for significant bone loss in the lower jaw because it is an invasive approach and can lead to numbness of the lower lip and jaw area, which can either decrease slowly or be permanent.
Socket preservation is performed immediately after a tooth extraction to reduce the amount of bone loss that naturally occurs during healing. Bone grafting material is placed directly into the empty socket to maintain the bone’s shape and volume.
Preserving the socket often makes future implant placement easier and may reduce the need for more extensive future grafting. It also helps maintain the natural appearance of your smile and surrounding gum tissue.
When rebuilding the jawbone, advanced skills and experience matter. Our board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeons use advanced 3D CBCT imaging and proven bone grafting techniques to create the strongest possible foundation for long-lasting dental implants.
We customize every treatment plan to your individual anatomy while providing anesthesia and sedation options designed to maximize your comfort. Our goal is to restore both your jawbone and your confidence with predictable, enduring results.
Most patients experience only mild to moderate soreness for a few days after surgery. Any discomfort is typically well controlled with prescribed or over-the-counter pain medication, along with ice packs and rest.
If you’ve experienced bone loss from missing teeth, gum disease, trauma, or previous extractions, you may benefit from bone grafting before receiving dental implants.
Healing varies depending on the size and type of graft, but most bone grafts require approximately 3 to 6 months before dental implants can be placed. Our team will monitor your healing with follow-up exams and imaging.
Modern bone grafting materials are highly biocompatible and designed to integrate with your natural bone. Rejection is extremely rare, especially when postoperative instructions are followed carefully.
If adequate healthy bone is present to stabilize the implant, both procedures may be performed during the same appointment. More extensive bone loss may require the graft to heal first before implant placement.
Bone grafting has a very high success rate when performed by experienced oral surgeons. Good oral hygiene, avoiding tobacco products, and following our recovery guidelines all contribute to successful healing.
