If a patient does not have sufficient bone to place a dental implant, Dr. Munné must first perform another type of oral surgery called bone grafting to fix this problem. Here are some of the common hard-tissue treatments Dr. Munné performs in her Houston dental office to prepare the mouth for dental implants.
1. Sinus augmentation – The upper posterior of the mouth commonly needs a sinus lift or augmentation before dental implants can be placed. The back of the top jaw is where the sinuses are, and frequently with time bone is lost due to gravity and also missing teeth, which causes the sinus wall to droop. To reverse this problem and build bone, the periodontist performs sinus augmentation. During sinus augmentation, Dr. Munné fills the space with bone grafting material to strengthen and rebuild this part of the jawbone so she can place one or more dental implants. During the healing process, the sinus membrane typically raises as it heals with the regenerated bone. Once the bone is developed, Dr. Munné can place dental implants.
2. Ridge modification – Dr. Munné uses this procedure when a dental implant patient has an indention in the jawbone. The indention can be caused by periodontal disease, injury or bone defect. To perform a ridge modification, Dr. Munné lifts away the gums to expose the deformed jawbone. Then she fills in the gap with bone grafting material to build up the ridge. The bone is left to develop and heal for several months before dental implants can be placed.
3. Bone grafting – There are many reasons why bone grafting may be necessary. Bone grafting thickens the jawbone to allow successful placement of implant anchors. Bone grafting can also help elevate the sinus floor, fill craters or deformities in the jawbone or allow for successful nerve repositioning. Bone grafting material may be harvested from the lower jaw or the iliac section of the pelvis, or it may be synthetically created.
Learn all about the benefits of hard-tissue treatments from periodontist Anna Munné, DDS. Call 713-795-4666 or use our convenient Request an Appointment form. Our hard-tissue treatment patients come to us from Harris County, Fort Bend County, Brazoria County and Montgomery County, TX, including Missouri City, Pearland, Sugar Land, The Woodlands, Houston, Bellaire and neighboring areas.