Jawbone Regeneration Can Make Beautiful Smiles Happen

Dr. Andrew R. Glenn is a highly experienced, board certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon in Lincoln, NE. He routinely performs a wide range of surgical procedures for his patients, including jawbone regeneration, or bone grafting, procedures. These are safe and effective techniques that help patients produce enough new bone in their jaws to support dental implants, dentures, and other types of prostheses. They also help regenerate bone lost to disease and trauma. Only when patients have sufficient jawbone support can they can have the dental treatment they need. Then, they can enjoy the satisfaction of regaining their beautiful smile.

The Need for Bone

There are a variety of reasons why the amount of bone in the jaw may need to be increased:

• Implants – An implant must have sufficient bone in the jaw to support it. When the thickness of bone is inadequate, it must be increased with a bone grafting procedure. This might be done several months ahead of time or in conjunction with implant placement. Implants that are to be placed in the upper back jaw present a special problem. The hollow maxillary sinus in the bone can complicate the placement of an implant. Here, a special procedure, known as a sinus lift or sinus augmentation, may be required in conjunction with the graft to regenerate enough bone to support an implant.
• Conventional Dentures and Partials - A denture or partial needs to rest on a thick jawbone to have a stable base. If the ridge of the jaw is thin and weak, bone grafting may be useful.
• Aesthetics – Jawbone regeneration may be indicated to replace jawbone lost in a front, visible area of the mouth that is to be restored with a prosthesis or implant. With the bone restored, the prosthesis can be much more aesthetic.
• Congenital – Patients with congenital conditions, such as cleft palate, may have a deficiency in jawbone density that requires regeneration.
• Pathology – Those who have lost bone due to cysts and other types of jaw tumors may profit from a jawbone regeneration procedure.

Growing New Bone

Jawbone regeneration, or bone grafting, is an effective and predictable procedure for restoring strength and bone volume to a deficient area in the jaw. It is a surgical procedure usually accomplished in the office, using local anesthesia and intravenous (IV) sedation. There are various techniques and materials for bone grafting that Dr. Glenn routinely uses. All involve placing and stabilizing a bone or bone-like material in the deficient area. The graft acts as a scaffold, on which new bone can form that slowly replaces the graft. Some graft materials may also contribute substances called growth factors, or bone morphogenetic proteins. These stimulate the patient's own bone to regenerate new bone.

Depend on an Experienced Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon

Those wanting to know more about bone grafting can find answers to many of their questions here. Better yet, those patients interested in implants, jawbone regeneration, or any other type of dental surgery are encouraged to schedule a consultation visit with Dr. Glenn. They can call his team at (402) 421-3401 or send them a message online.

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