Guided Bone Regeneration
What is guided bone regeneration?
Did you know that traditional periodontal surgery involves deflecting the gum tissue away from the teeth, debriding the area, and re-contouring the bone to help eliminate gum pockets? At DFW Implant Team, board-certified periodontist, Dr. Donald Steinberg, prefers to use newer, more sophisticated techniques that help regenerate gum tissue and bone destroyed by gum disease.
Bone regeneration rebuilds the bone lost due to periodontal disease. With this technique, a bone graft material is placed in a bone deficient area around the tooth. A protective barrier is then placed over the graft, but under the gum. This barrier keeps the graft in place, and promotes regeneration. By rebuilding what has been lost due to periodontal disease, we can often improve the prognosis for teeth that previously might have been lost. To learn more about this process, please contact our Bedford, TX, office to schedule a consultation.
What are the benefits of guided bone regeneration?
For patients who have a weakened jawbone from gum disease, infection, trauma, or other reasons, bone regeneration and grafting can restore the strength of the bone to improve the patient’s overall oral health and provide needed support for a dental implant. Phone in today and we can discuss options with you at a scheduled appointment.
To improve dental implant stability
To aid ridge augmentation
To treat gum disease
To improve the appearance of the smile
To improve undeveloped bone
How is a guided bone regeneration procedure performed?
Most bone grafting can be done with the patient under local anesthesia, but in cases where larger amounts of bone are being grafted, the doctor may prefer conscious anesthesia. Once the bone graft is prepared, the doctor will make a small incision in the gum to attach the graft to the needed area. Once the graft is in place, the doctor will suture the incision in the gums and then cover the treatment area with protective bandages.
What is the recovery after guided bone regeneration?
After the bone graft procedure is complete, patients will be given antibiotics, pain medications, and an antibacterial mouthwash to improve the healing process. Patients are usually asked to avoid hard foods and putting pressure on the grafted area or wearing a prosthesis that could compress the graft; a liquid or soft foods diet is best for the first few days after the procedure. The bone graft will be given 6 – 9 months to heal and bond to the jawbone before the dental implant procedure is scheduled.
If you have undergone a bone regeneration procedure as an intervention for periodontal disease, it is critical to maintain a good oral hygiene routine afterward. Regular flossing and brushing will help to keep the bacteria at bay, decreasing the likelihood of a recurrence of periodontal disease.