If you’ve ever looked into getting dental implants before, you’ve likely heard of a bone graft. This procedure rebuilds some of the jaw structure after bone loss, allowing patients like you to support dental implant restorations. However, bone grafts are an additional procedure added on top of your implant treatment, increasing both the cost and duration of your implant process. Many patients prefer to avoid additional procedures if they can help it, but is a bone graft always necessary for dental implants? Fortunately, it’s not! At the Mini Dental Implant Center of America in Springfield, MO, we offer a solution that may allow you to skip the bone graft altogether. To learn if you’re eligible for dental implant treatment without a bone graft, schedule a free consultation today!
Why May You Need a Bone Graft?
Natural teeth have roots embedded in your jawbone. When you chew or bite, these roots press into the bone, stimulating it. This stimulation is vital for jawbone health, and without it, your jaw will lose mass and volume over time.
One of the only ways to stop bone loss in your jaw is to replace missing tooth roots with dental implants. These titanium screws secure inside your jawbone to replicate the function of your natural tooth roots, while also providing a strong foundation for restorations like a crown, bridge, or denture.
But dental implants also require ample bone structure for support, which many patients lack. For those with jawbone loss, a bone graft may be the only way they qualify for traditional dental implants.
Understanding the Grafting Process
Bone grafts are a form of bone augmentation that focuses on rebuilding lost bone. Using grafting material, which may be bone from your own body, a donor, or synthetic material, we can help facilitate bone growth to improve both the density and mass of your jaw.
First, we’ll make an incision in your gums to reveal your jawbone underneath. Then, we’ll place the grafting material on your jaw and likely cover it up with a membrane to promote healing. Finally, we’ll stitch your gums back together to facilitate bone remodeling.
Over time, the grafting material will act as a sort of scaffold, guiding your body’s natural bone cells to regenerate deficient areas of bone. As new bone forms on and around the grafting material, your jaw will gradually strengthen and create more room for dental implants.
Then, after 3 months of healing, your jaw will be strong enough for implant treatment.
Do You Always Need a Bone Graft for Dental Implants?
If missing teeth lead to jawbone loss, does that mean everyone getting dental implants needs a bone graft?
Not necessarily, and not at the Mini Dental Implant Center of America in Springfield, MO! While the vast majority of patients getting traditional implants will require a bone graft, mini dental implants may allow some patients to skip this step.
These small titanium screws are half the size of conventional implants, requiring much less bone for support. In most cases, patients can undergo mini implant treatment without bone augmentation, as the implants fit into minimal bone without issue.
Of course, some patients may still need bone grafts for mini dental implants. During your free implant consultation, we will assess your jawbone and determine which solution is best for you. If you’re eligible for mini implants without a bone graft, we can restore your smile without the hassle of additional procedures.
The Mini Implant Difference!
Skipping a bone graft isn’t the only benefit mini implants offer over their traditional counterparts.
In general, mini implants involve a lot less hassle.
- Less invasive: Thanks to their small diameter, we can use a minimally invasive procedure to place mini implants. With no incisions or stitches necessary, you can enjoy a gentler placement process.
- Less painful: Because we disrupt less bone and gum tissue when placing mini implants, patients experience less pain and discomfort. Any discomfort you do feel is short-lived and easily managed with over-the-counter pain medications.
- Less healing time: With a less invasive process, mini implants also result in a shorter healing period. Rather than waiting months between appointments, mini implants only take a few weeks to fully heal.
- Less time at the dentist: Traditional implants require multiple appointments over several months. In contrast, mini implants need one placement appointment, and we can sometimes secure your final restoration on the same day!
- Less expensive: With fewer appointments and additional procedures, mini implants are less expensive than traditional implants. In general, these implants can be half the cost of their traditional counterparts.
Skip the Bone Graft With Mini Implants in Springfield, MO
If you’re looking into dental implants, you may not always need a bone graft. In some cases, we can use mini dental implants, which can allow you to skip the bone graft altogether! To learn if you’re eligible for mini dental implant treatment without a bone graft, book a free implant consultation at the Mini Dental Implant Center of America in Springfield, MO!
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