Bone Grafting in San Luis Obispo & Paso Robles 

Major & Minor Bone Grafting

Missing teeth can lead to jaw bone atrophy, affecting dental implant placement and causing shifting of remaining teeth and facial structure changes. Many patients become ineligible for dental implants due to this.

However, modern techniques allow for bone growth in deficient areas, enabling proper implant placement and restoring both function and aesthetics.

MAJOR BONE GRAFTING

Bone grafting repairs implant sites lacking bone due to extractions, gum disease, or injuries. Bone can be sourced from a tissue bank or from the patient’s own jaw, hip, or tibia. Sinus bone grafts replace bone in the upper jaw, while membranes aid in bone protection and regeneration, known as guided bone or tissue regeneration.

These major grafts address jaw defects from trauma, tumor surgery, or congenital issues, using the patient’s bone harvested from areas like the skull, hip, or knee. These procedures typically occur in an operating room and may require hospitalization.

Reasons for jaw bone loss and deterioration include:

1. Tooth Extractions: Removal of teeth leads to decreased stimulation of the jaw bone, causing it to deteriorate gradually over time.

2. Periodontal Disease: Infections of the gums gradually destroy support for natural teeth, resulting in bone loss if left untreated.

3. Dentures/Bridgework: Unanchored dentures and certain types of bridgework can lead to bone resorption due to lack of direct stimulation.

4. Facial Trauma: Injuries such as knocked-out or broken teeth can halt bone stimulation, leading to bone loss.

5. Misalignment: Uneven tooth structure can cause over-eruption of unopposed teeth, leading to bone deterioration.

6. Osteomyelitis: Bacterial infection in the jaw bone and marrow can result in inflammation and reduced blood supply, necessitating bone grafting.

7. Tumors: Benign or malignant tumors in the facial region may require removal of jaw bone sections, often necessitating reconstructive bone grafting.

8. Developmental Deformities: Conditions characterized by missing facial bone portions may require bone grafting for restoration.

9. Sinus Deficiencies: Removal of molars in the upper jaw can lead to sinus enlargement and subsequent insufficient bone for dental implants, requiring procedures like sinus lifts.

Addressing these issues through bone grafting can restore function and promote new bone growth, preventing further deterioration.

Your Trusted Oral Surgeons in San Luis Obispo & Paso Robles

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San Luis Obispo: San Luis Obispo Office Phone Number 805-541-3220

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Here are the potential consequences of tooth and jaw bone loss:

• Remaining teeth issues such as misalignment, drifting, loosening, and loss
• Collapsed facial profile
• Reduced lip support
• Skin wrinkling around the mouth
• Distortion of facial features
• Jaw pain (TMJ or temporomandibular joint pain), facial pain, and headaches
• Difficulty in speaking and communication
• Inadequate nutrition due to difficulties in chewing properly and without pain
• Sinus expansion

TYPES OF BONE GRAFTS

Autogenous Bone Grafts: Made from your own bone, harvested from various parts of the body such as the chin, jaw, lower leg bone, hip, or skull. Advantages include containing living cellular elements that enhance bone growth and minimizing the risk of rejection since it comes from your own body. However, it requires a second surgical procedure for extraction, which may not always be recommended.

Allogenic Bone: Dead bone harvested from cadavers, processed to serve as a scaffold for surrounding bone growth. Unlike autogenous bone, it cannot generate new bone independently, potentially leading to longer regeneration times and less predictable outcomes.

Xenogenic Bone: Derived from non-living bone of another species, typically a cow, processed to prevent immune rejection and contamination. Like allogenic grafts, it acts as a framework for surrounding bone growth, but lacks autograft’s bone-forming properties.

BONE GRAFT SUBSTITUTES

Various synthetic materials serve as alternatives to real bone grafts:

Demineralized Bone Matrix (DBM)/Demineralized Freeze-Dried Bone Allograft (DFDBA): Processed allograft bone containing collagen, proteins, and growth factors, available in different forms such as powder, putty, chips, or gel for injection.

Graft Composites: Combining different graft materials and growth factors to achieve desired benefits, such as collagen/ceramic composite or DBM with bone marrow cells.

Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs): Naturally occurring proteins that promote bone formation and healing.

Synthetic materials offer the advantage of eliminating the need for a second surgical procedure to harvest bone, reducing associated risks and discomfort. The choice of bone graft material depends on individual patient needs, determined by healthcare professionals.