Here at
Implant & Periodontal Associates NW in Richland, our goal is always to give our patients a smile that they can be proud of. When you experience
tooth loss or
removal, some unforeseen quality of life issues usually pop up. It becomes more difficult to eat; you may find yourself struggling to pronounce words correctly, you may even notice your face beginning to appear more sunken. All of these symptoms are typical of tooth loss. One of the biggest problems that accompany long-term tooth loss is
bone loss in the jaw. Strong, healthy bone in the jaw is required for those who are looking to replace their teeth with
dental implants, so if bone loss has occurred, sometimes we must perform a hard tissue ridge augmentation to bring your jaw to a point where it can functionally support dental implants.
What is hard tissue ridge augmentation?
Hard tissue ridge augmentation is one way of describing a
bone graft that is done in the jaw of a patient to give them more healthy bone mass in the
ridge of their jaw. The ridge of the jaw is where all of the teeth are located.
Do I need hard tissue ridge augmentation?
When you lose teeth and do not replace them, the bone in the jaw stops receiving the feedback that it would normally get from the roots of the teeth. As you chew your food and rest your teeth together, the jawbone receives some tactile feedback from the roots of your teeth. When a tooth is lost and not replaced, the jawbone stops receiving that feedback and eventually, the bone will begin to
recede. Bone in recession is less dense, and there is less of it. Because dental implants are surgically inserted into the jawbone, they rely on a strong and healthy amount of bone in the jaw.
What is the hard tissue ridge augmentation procedure?
Hard tissue ridge augmentation begins like any other procedure here at Implant & Periodontal Associates NW in Richland, with us ensuring that you are comfortable and properly anesthetized. We offer a few different sedation options if you desire and will ask you before the procedure begins if you are comfortable. Once the site is numb, and any sedation that you desire has been administered we will begin the procedure by making an incision in the gumline to access the jawbone below.
We will have some donor tissue prepared to place into the surgery site. Donor tissue can be obtained from a few different places, most commonly tissue is taken from a different location on the patient, a cadaver, or a donor animal like a pig. The donor tissue will be placed into the graft site, and we will stitch the site closed using sutures.
How long does it take to recover from hard tissue ridge augmentation?
As with all oral surgery, it is important that you follow the
post-surgical instructions that we give you as you are leaving our office. Be sure to avoid smoking or tobacco use of any kind as this can severely retard the healing process.
Questions about hard tissue ridge augmentation?
Do you have questions about hard tissue ridge augmentation, dental implants, or any other topic? We are looking forward to hearing from you! Call us today at (509) 542-9111 to schedule an appointment or learn more about how we can help you.
