In order for dental implant success in Coquitlam patients, those patients must have sufficient bone material to allow the implants to osseointegrate, or fuse with the jaw bone. This aspect of the implant process is of particular concern to edentulous (toothless) patients because the jaw bone can recede significantly when the teeth’s roots are no longer present to hold it in place. Even in cases when a single tooth has been missing for a long time, extensive bone loss may occur, also jeopardizing the implant.

Fortunately, patients with considerable jaw bone loss can still be eligible for dental implants if they first undergo a surgical procedure known as a bone graft. This procedure helps to augment the amount of available bone in the vicinity of the implant.

Depending on the implant’s location in the mouth, different bone graft techniques may be used to prepare a patient for dental implants. Often the patient’s own bone is taken from elsewhere in the body, such as the hip or the chin, and inserted into the implant site. Bone from cadavers and synthetic materials may also be used to supplement the bone.

Another technique is called a sinus lift, which is used for implants at the rear of the jaw. In a sinus lift, bone is added to the floor of the patient’s sinus cavity, essentially increasing the height of the upper jaw. This approach is valuable for implants at the rear of the jaw, where the bone tends to wear away more quickly.

Bone grafts often can be completed in an outpatient setting. However, when a patient needs to have a large amount of bone harvested, that surgery may need to take place in a hospital.

When a bone graft is necessary, the implant patient does face a longer treatment timeline. The patient must heal from the graft before the implant can be placed, and that process may take several months. It is important to consider this when planning the treatment.