Preparatory Procedures for Dental Implants

When dental implants are indicated, Dr. Noraian will complete a work-up using cone beam CT scanning and either Simplant® or Anatomage® software to obtain a 3-D understanding of the space available in the jawbone for an implant or implants. This implant work-up will provide Dr. Noraian with a detailed understanding of what he will need to recommend to make the site suitable for implant placement. Bone grafting refers to the many different procedures used to enhance the site for implant placement. 

Why Bone Grafting?

Once you have lost some teeth, the jawbone undergoes disuse atrophy which is a resorptive process that occurs over time. The characteristic of disuse atrophy is  a change in bone quality and quantity that reduces the available bone for dental implant placement. When this situation occurs, your chance for  implant placement lessens.

Research on dental implant longevity has indicated that about 2mm of bone is required around an implant to keep it healthy long-term. This parameter translates to about 8mm of bone needed to house an implant which is best evaluated with 3-D imaging. By using cone beam CT scanning to evaluate your particular bone availability for implant placement, Dr. Noraian may recommend bone grafting as a separate procedure with adequate time for healing prior to proceeding with dental implant placement.

Today, in many cases, Dr. Noraian has the ability to grow bone where you may need it. A particular advantage of these techniques allows Dr. Noraian to place implants of the proper length and width, which will restore your function and esthetic appearance.

Methods of Bone Grafting

When you have insufficient bone for dental implant placement, Dr. Noraian may employ bone grafting to repair implant sites.  You may have inadequate bone structure due to previous extractions, gum disease, or injuries. We obtain the bone used to augment these sites from a tissue bank or other areas of your own jaws. Also, we may perform sinus lifts  to replace bone in the posterior upper jaw. Dr. Noraian may use special membranes or soft tissues that dissolve under the gum and protect the bone graft and encourage bone regeneration. This type of bone grafting is called guided bone regeneration or guided tissue regeneration and is also used to treat gum disease.