Following the loss of natural teeth, your body can resorb bone tissue in the jaw, weakening it and leading to an aged appearance. A weakened jaw could also be unable to support dental implants to replace your missing teeth. Which is why at your
Elk River, MN, oral surgery clinic, our team offers
minor and major grafting procedures to rebuild areas with loss of mass and density.
When your body loses teeth, it will take note of the lost roots. In response, it suspends the flow of key nutrients like calcium and phosphates to the bone around the lost root. Without these nutrients, the bone loses mass and density as the body resorbs the structure. This weakened jawbone structure could lead to further tooth loss. If you want to stop this process with the placement of dental implants, you may find there is simply not enough structure to support new roots. However, with bone grafting our team can essentially rebuild what has been lost, so your smile can support new teeth and you can preserve your youthful facial features.
A minor grafting procedure is designed to strengthen the specific areas that have weakened, so your smile can support dental implants. We could take tissues from bone structure elsewhere in your body, such as the jaw, hip, or knee. We could also use special membranes to help encourage bone regeneration too. This could be done in the upper jaw and in the upper sinuses, so you can start your journey to a full smile again.
We could also offer
major bone grafts, which can repair more severe concerns with the jaw, such as traumatic damage, the impact of a surgery, or congenital issues. We again use your own bone tissues to regenerate and repair these weakened or damaged portions of your smile. We could take tissue from your hip, knee, or even your skull. This procedure is more involved and complex, and will likely require a stay in the hospital.
If you have any questions about the difference between our minor and major ridge augmentation procedures, or about starting the
placement of dental implants to address tooth loss, then contact our team today to learn more. We’re ready to rebuild and transform your smile with oral surgery, so you can smile with confidence for years to come.
To correct the impact of tooth loss and prepare your smile for dental implants, we can rebuild the weakened portions of your lower jaw. If you would like to find out more about the grafting procedures we provide,
call our Elk River, MN clinic at (763) 274-1092.
