Bone Grafts

Your Houston dentist may have suggested performing a bone graft at a recent visit. If you are planning dental implant surgery in Houston, this procedure can set the stage for optimal results. While the term sounds scary, today bone grafting in the oral cavity is now a painless, routine procedure

At Dr. Cabrera Dental Associates in Houston, bone grafting procedures are done to restore the patient’s bone to its previous form after tooth loss, trauma or gum disease. Dental bone grafting is also used to maintain bone structure after tooth removal.

It is very important to restore and maintain the facial bone structure. Dental implant placement and other oral procedures require a good amount of strong bone for the surgery to be successful. The jawbone needs to be at, or close to, its original position and dimension. The jaw and other bones in the face support facial muscles and skin. Without this reinforcement of the underlying bone, we look much older.

While dentists in Houston may see less of a need for bone grafting, it is necessary in some cases. In the past, bone grafting involved the harvesting of large quantities of the patient’s bone, called autogenous grafts. Today, we have the option of using xenografts, or processed bone from animals. These grafts are typically comprised of the sterilized mineral content of natural bone, with all of the organic matter extracted.

It is very common for Houston oral surgeons to use bovine graft material that has been harvested from cows. This tried and true technique has proven effective for many years. The harvested material prevents surrounding tissues from collapsing and then guided tissue regeneration takes place. This is when the body begins to recognize the bone graft biochemically as natural bone. Eventually, it is resorbed and replaced with the patient’s organic bone.