Bone Graft for a Dental Implant

[athena53]

The bone graft is a non event as far as I'm concerned as it was done in conjunction with the implant placement. The only issue I had was occasionally spitting out bone fragments for the first few days. Kind of freaked me out for a bit as I wasn't sure what it was.

My oral surgeon had a VERY thorough list of post-op directions that noted that the particles might feel like sand. I haven't noticed any. They also tell you that after 3 weeks you're only 5% healed.

To me, the bone grafts were "insurance". I wanted to make darn sure the implants stuck.

 

[ksr]

I have one implant that is a couple of years old. Lower molar, and I did not need any bone graft. The oral surgeon said I had enough bone for the implant. So far, everything is going well. At each visit my regular dentist comments that the implant looks good.

 

[Luvtoride]

Did your dentist elaborate as to why not to do it (at least in your case)? Was she referring to the bone graft or the sinus lift or both?

She was specifically referring to the Sinus lift ( not to do).
Said it was a difficult procedure and didn’t always yield the results needed.

 

[Focus]

Be careful about a sinus lift.

My periodontist did a sinus lift and bone graft in order to get two upper implants in. Less than a year later, the molar behind them (#3, I think) died and I had to get my very first root canal and crown.

The endodontist asked if I had gotten a sinus lift; he said he's seen this procedure kill the tooth behind the implant again and again.

 

[CaptTom]

I found the implant process fascinating. I only had one, so I'm no expert.

But when he put in the bone graft material (he called it a "scaffolding" on which my body would build new bone tissue) he also added some human growth factor (I think he called it) which they'd extracted from a sample of my own blood in a centrifuge. There was something else in the mix, I forget what. All very high-tech. I was impressed.

 

[athena53]

But when he put in the bone graft material (he called it a "scaffolding" on which my body would build new bone tissue) he also added some human growth factor (I think he called it) which they'd extracted from a sample of my own blood in a centrifuge. There was something else in the mix, I forget what. All very high-tech. I was impressed.

That must have been what my oral surgeon mentioned once. He didn't think I needed it and apparently he was right since (knock wood) my implants have been successful without this addition. Good to know it's an option, though.