Bone Grafting

In certain situations, your jaw may not have enough bone density to support your smile or intensive oral surgery procedures. To best support and strengthen your smile for treatment, our dentist can provide you with bone grafting in Durham, North Carolina. We welcome you to learn more by contacting Providence Smiles today at 919-682-4861 and setting up an appointment with Dr. Kwame Gyampo.

What is bone grafting and why is it needed?

Bone grafting is a surgical procedure used to replace missing bone in the jaw, correct deformities in the jaw or fill in gaps caused by tooth loss. It may be required if your jawbone is not dense or thick enough to support your teeth or an oral appliance, such as a dental implant or dentures. If you are considering dental implants or dentures, our dentist will evaluate your mouth to see if bone grafting is necessary.

After a tooth is lost or extracted, the jawbone begins to resorb, or deteriorate, at the site of the tooth extraction. The resorption must be corrected before the dental implant is placed. While bone grafts are most needed for implant dentistry, they may also be required for certain types of periodontal treatments when bone has deteriorated due to gum disease.

Is bone grafting safe?

Bone grafting is a safe and effective procedure that has been used for many years in dentistry. The success rate for bone grafting is high and complications are rare. You are invited to contact our dentist and team if you have any concerns; we are happy to answer any of them.

What is the procedure like?

During a bone graft procedure, we will transplant a piece of bone another part of the body, from a donor or from an artificial material. The graft is placed into the area where the bone is needed and held in place until it naturally fuses with the bone. Overtime, the bone will grow together with the grafted bone tissue and create a stronger and more stable foundation.

Note: If you are worried about pain, you will be sedated during the procedure, so you should not feel any pain or discomfort during the procedure.

What is the recovery like?

The recovery period for bone grafting is usually around six to eight weeks. During this time, you will need to avoid strenuous activity and rest when possible. After the graft has healed, you will be able to resume normal activities.

You may find some small granules in your mouth the first day after your bone grafting procedure. There is no need to worry as this is normal and will stop as you heal.

After your procedure, please:

• Do not touch or disturb the surgical site.
• Do not rinse or spit for two days.
• Do not apply pressure with your tongue or fingers to the grafted area.
• Do not lift or pull up on your lip to look at your stitches.
• Do not smoke for at least five days after your surgery.
• Use all prescribed medications as directed.

You may gently rinse your mouth the second day after your procedure but take care not to rinse vigorously as this could disturb the surgical site. You may take mild pain relievers, such as acetaminophen or Ibuprofen to manage discomfort. If you have any problems such as excessive bleeding, pain or difficulty opening your mouth, please contact our office as soon as possible.

If you have any more questions or would like to set up a consultation to see if bone grafting is right for you and your smile, please contact or visit our office. We are happy to help you in any way we can.