How Much is Dental Bone Graft Cost?

Most people think of the bone as a hard and rigid substance that is highly resistant to change.

Yet the truth is that bones remodel themselves all the time. The body constantly generates newer bone cells and dumping out old ones. This process can be extremely painful in the case of bones that provide support to teeth. When adults start losing their teeth, the critical changes that the bone structure undergoes has an adverse reaction that leads to pain and swelling.

This is because when teeth move out of their original place, the bone surrounding them begins to displace in a process known as ‘resorptions’. Bone loss occurs at a more rapid pace when the patient has periodontal disease. Once the patient has lost enough bone mass and teeth, their facial expressions begin to sag, producing the telltale signs typically associated with aged people. Because of bone loss, teeth replacement procedures become more complicated.

Which is why bone grafting techniques are so useful. These innovative procedures help patients recover the bone mass that was originally lost. This is beneficial to both appearance and health because the jawbone is strengthened, making it possible for orthodontists to apply more effective tooth replacement procedures. The end result is a beaming smile that oozes out confidence.

The Basics of Bone Grafting

The entire surgical procedure for bone grafting takes place in a dental office. Your dentist will make small incisions to the gum to gain access to the bone underneath it. This will allow application of the grafting material. In most cases, the material used for grafting comes from processed bone minerals to help the body generate new bone cells.

The grafting material can be borrowed directly from the patient’s own body but it can also be sourced from a human or animal donor. The donor’s grafting material is duly treated in a laboratory to make it safe and sterile. It is also common for orthodontists to use synthetic substances.

The grafting material can take many forms, the most common include powdered, putty, and granule structures. Putty or gels are easier to inject through a syringe due to their relatively higher viscous properties. The graft is covered by collagen membrane to allow the body to generate new bone mass.

Common Uses for Bone Grafts

The three most common goals for bone grafts are to achieve the following treatment procedures:

Recovering Teeth: Periodontal disease takes an incredible toll on bone mass. When enough bone mass is lost to periodontal disease, the teeth begin to move out of their assigned places and are at risk of being lost. Bone grafting helps to regenerate the lost bone mass and provide the much-needed support to the weakening tooth structure.

Dental Implants: A small post made of titanium is surgically applied into the jawbone structure. It is then connected with an artificial dental crown to permanently replace the lost tooth. In order for implants to be successful, they need to have good bone mass and density to achieve the desired functionality. For patients who have lost bone mass, a graft is usually the best option to regenerate lost bone to provide support to the implant.

Beware

Risks Involving Bone Grafting

Nearly every surgical procedure will come with its own bag of problems, and bone grafts are no exception to that rule. Bone grafts carry the following risks:

Painful procedure that could deal possible nerve injuries
The body might reject the bone graft altogether
Inflammation
Reabsorption of the graft may result in shrinkage of bone volume
Dental bone graft can be an expensive procedure
Some patients fail to properly heal long after undergoing surgery

When to Call Your Doctor

It is important to go for regular checkups. But if you notice symptoms such as continuous liquid discharge, throbbing pain or bleeding, then immediately call your doctor. Ignoring the symptoms might cause an infection if not treated.