A bone graft is a procedure that Dr. Mizrahi performs to promote the growth of healthy bone tissue in your jaw. Bone grafts are sometimes necessary for patients who want to get dental implants, but don’t have enough healthy bone tissue in their jaw to support them. By grafting new bone material onto the areas of your jaw that are deficient, Dr. Mizrahi can help stimulate growth and create a firmer and more stable foundation for your implants.  The procedure involves making a small incision on your gum, depositing the grafting material, and closing the incision with sutures. Your new bone tissue typically takes about 4-12 months to mature, at which point your jaw will be healthy enough to support dental implants.

The material that Dr. Mizrahi uses in a bone graft can come from a few different places:

• Autogenous graft

In this type of graft, the bone comes from your own personal bone tissue, such as your rib, chin, or another body part. Autogenous grafts tend to be more predictable because your body is less likely to reject grafting material that comes from itself.

• Xenograft

A xenograft uses bone material that’s harvested from an animal source, typically bovine, or cow. The materials used in these grafts aren’t actual pieces of bovine bone, but are instead sterilized mineral components of the bone that have had all of the organic material removed.

• Alloplast graft

Alloplast is a synthetic bone material that has a history of success and is widely available.

A ridge expansion is a type of bone graft that augments a jaw that isn’t wide enough to effectively support dental implants. This can be necessary for patients whose jawbone has significantly resorbed due to prolonged denture use or going without teeth for several years. Dr. Mizrahi creates a space along the top of your jawbone into which she puts grafting material, thereby increasing its height and/or width. Your bone tissue matures within 4-12 months, at which point it will be a more suitable foundation for dental implants.

If you have major defects in your jaw from injuries, congenital defects, tumor surgery, or any other cause, Dr. Mizrahi can perform major bone grafting to repair your jaw by harvesting bone material from your skull, hip, or knee. Major bone grafting is a more involved procedure that requires an operating room and a hospital stay, but it can have a profound impact on the health of your jaw. To learn more about how a bone graft can benefit your smile, schedule a visit with Parvaz Farnad Mizrahi, DDS, MPH, today by calling the office or using the online tool.