Bone Graft Procedure

Suzanne Haeri DDS offers bone grafting services to her patients in the Los Angeles, CA area. Bone grafts are needed when the jaw bone is not strong enough to house a restorative device like a dental implant. When a tooth is missing and never replaced, the bone will disintegrate. A bone graft will fix this by replacing it with healthy tissue.

 

At your first appointment with Dr. Haeri, she will examine the jaw and mouth. X-rays will determine the full condition of the bone. If you are eligible for a bone graft, the x-ray will also show us how much tissue will be needed. Tissue for the graft can be collected in various ways. It can be taken from another area of your mouth in certain cases, or areas like your hip or tibia. Tissue labs also provide materials. Once the sample has been collected and determined to be of sound quality, the next step in the procedure can start.

 

You will first be placed under general anesthesia. Dr. Haeri will start by making an incision along your jaw in the selected area. The healthy tissue will be inserted and held in place using screws, wires, etc. Afterward, Dr. Haeri will close up the area with either stitches or a suture.

 

After the procedure, follow any and all post-operative instructions given. Avoid vigorous activity while healing. The speed of your recovery is entirely dependent on your body and the size of the graft. The larger the graft the longer it will take to heal. Recovery can stem from two weeks all the way up to a full year.

 

Dr. Suzanne Haeri DDS is located in Los Angeles, CA. To schedule an appointment, visit our website or call 310-657-2200.

 

What is a Bone Graft?

Bone grafting is widely used throughout medicine because of how it helps the body heal.  In dentistry, a bone graft is used to strengthen a patient’s jaw bone when it is not strong enough to support a needed implant. Dr. Suzanne Haeri performs bone grafts to restore function to the mouths of patients in need of dental implants.

When a tooth is missing for an extended period of time the jaw bone in that area is vulnerable and can weaken, and some patients naturally have a softer jaw bone.  In either case, when the patient needs an implant the bone needs to be reinforced.  A jaw bone graft is typically harvested from a healthy location in the patient’s mouth.  During the procedure, the harvested material is grafted to the area of the jaw that needs an implant.  This reinforces the jaw bone and encourages the growth of new bone material.  This healing process typically takes a few months and should be monitored by your dentist. Once the graft has fused and healed, a dental implant can be placed.

To learn more about teeth grinding and the services we provide at our practice, visit www.suzannehaeridds.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Suzanne Haeri, DDS herself in our Los Angeles, CA office, call 310-657-2200. 

Bone Grafts for Dental Implant Placement

Dental implants are the ideal replacement option for missing teeth; however the jawbone needs to be in the right condition to place dental implants. For patients whose jawbone has deteriorated too much to hold a dental implant, Dr. Suzanne Haeri, DDS performs bone grafts right in her Los Angeles, CA dental office.

Bone grafts consist of building up regions of the jawbone with bone fragments from another area of the mouth. These bone fragments are packed into the jawbone to heal and regenerate even more bone tissue to grow. The end result is a healthy and strong jawbone that can hold a dental implant for a long time. These bone grafts are frequently performed in the space between the upper molars and the sinus cavity, and the ridge where the teeth are settled in.

When the sinus cavity is too low, sometimes there is not enough space to place the implants. In this case, the bone graft is called a sinus augmentation or a sinus lift. In other cases, the ridge where teeth are settled in has deteriorated too much after a tooth goes missing. This is called ridge modification or expansion.

If you are aiming to replace your missing tooth with a dental implant, bone grafting may be needed first. To schedule your consultation with Dr. Suzanne Haeri, DDS of Los Angeles, CA, call our office at (310) 657-2200. Appointments may also be made through our website, www.suzannehaeridds.com.