Bone Grafting | Oral & Facial Surgery in Auburn and Sumner, WA

There are many reasons a patient may require bone grafting as part of their treatment plan for reconstructive facial, jaw or implant surgery. When a person loses teeth, over a period of time the jawbone associated with these teeth atrophies, or melts away. This often leaves a condition in which there is poor quality and quantity of bone suitable for placement of dental implants. Fortunately, Dr. Molen is able to augment and replace poor quality or missing bone in most cases. This not only gives Dr. Molen the opportunity to place implants to replace your teeth, it can also improve the esthetic contours of your face.

Minor Bone Grafting

In situations with minor or localized deficiencies, small amounts of bone can be taken from other parts of the jaw bones and transplanted to where it is needed. Sometimes, this bone is mixed with other materials to reduce the amount which needs to be taken from you. In addition, special membranes may be utilized that dissolve under the gum and protect the bone graft and encourage bone regeneration. This is called guided bone regeneration or guided tissue regeneration.

Major Bone Grafting

Larger bone grafts may be required for large sites with inadequate bone structure due to previous extractions, gum disease or injuries. The bone is usually obtained from a tissue bank or your own bone is taken from your jaws or hip bone. These procedures may need to be done in a hospital.

Bone grafts are also performed to repair defects of the jaws. These defects may arise as a result of traumatic injuries, tumor surgery, or congenital defects. Large defects are repaired using the patient’s own bone.

This bone is harvested from a number of different sites depending on the size of the defect. The skull, hip bone, and lower leg bone (tibia), are common donor sites. These procedures are routinely performed in an operating room and require a hospital stay.

Sinus Lift Procedure

The maxillary (upper jaw) sinuses are behind your cheeks and above the upper teeth. Sinuses are like empty rooms that have nothing in them. Some of the roots of the natural upper teeth extend up into the maxillary sinuses. When these upper teeth are removed, there is often just a thin wall of bone separating the maxillary sinus and the mouth. Dental implants need bone to hold them in place. When the sinus wall is very thin, it is impossible to place dental implants in this bone.

The solution to this problem is to place bone grafts into the sinus, which is known as a “sinus lift”. Dr. Molen enters the sinus from where the upper teeth used to be, and bone or bone substitute materials can be placed onto the floor of the sinus. Keep in mind that the floor of the sinus is the roof of the upper jaw. Dental implants can usually be placed at the same time the sinus lift is performed, and they will heal to both your existing bone and the new bone forming in the sinus.

After a period of healing, the new bone becomes part of the jaw and the implants can have teeth placed on them. The sinus graft makes it possible for many patients to have dental implants when years ago there was no other option other than wearing loose dentures.