Bone Grafting to The Facial Skeleton Prior to Implants
When planning rehabilitation with dental implants it is essential that sufficient bone is available to allow safe insertion of the implants. When teeth have been lost many years ago or there has been damage to the jaws either by removal of teeth or trauma, there might not be enough bone to allow implants to be placed reliably with predictable results. In this case it may be possible for bone or a bone substitute to be used to enhance or augment the amount of bone present in your jaws.
Bone substitutes are generally used for small areas and your own bone can be taken as a graft for larger areas. If a graft needs to be taken, this can be taken from the lower jaw or from the pelvic (hip) bone if large amounts are needed. These procedures are usually done under a general anaesthetic and your hospital stay might be either one or two nights depending on any other medical conditions that you have.
You might feel it is a daunting prospect to consider this but most patients find the end results make it worthwhile. Treatment such as this is carried by a team approach. Your surgeon works with other accredited NHS Consultants in Restorative Dentistry to ensure your treatment planning is comprehensive and correct for you.
Options are discussed at the outset and realistic treatment goals agreed. Prices are clearly discussed and agreed prior to any treatment being carried out. Surgery is carried out at Spire Hospital Bristol www.spirehealthcare/bristol which offers state of the art facilities with an excellent Healthcare Commission record.
Once your bone augmentation has taken place and healed, dental implants can be surgically inserted into the new bone allowing the Restorative Dental Consultant to take on the next stage of your implant treatment. Every patient is different and requires treatment specific to their needs.
We welcome enquiries and feel a personal consultation can explain the process fully, leaving you to decide upon your plans.