It is important to have sufficient bone and gum tissue for a healthy mouth. Greater Ventura Oral & Facial Surgery Dental Implant Experts performs many bone and tissue grafting procedures at their safe, sterile, and welcoming practices in Ventura, Ojai and Westlake Village, CA. Some of their patients have shared their stories so you can see for yourself why qualified and caring oral surgeons like Dr. Zarrinkelk, Dr. Siavash and Dr. Coppelson are trusted experts in their community.
A missing tooth that has not been replaced makes the jawbone susceptible to bone loss over time. Bone loss in the jaw can cause dental issues, change the shape of the face, and more. Placing a dental implant is a popular tooth replacement option, and since it is considered a complete tooth replacement, it works to prevent bone loss in the jaw. If, however, there is insufficient bone to support an implant, the implant cannot be placed unless a bone graft is performed. A bone graft augments the amount of bone in the jaw. Although bone grafts are used as a part of many other oral surgery treatments, bone grafts are often used in conjunction with dental implant treatment.
A bone graft procedure involves placing granulated bone material at the site where new bone is desired. The granulated bone material used may be sourced from your own available bone, or a donor bank.
Different types of bone grafting procedures can be performed, depending on the location and type of treatment.
Greater Ventura Oral & Facial Surgery strives to achieve improved oral health outcomes for their patients in a safe, sterile, and welcoming environment. Just like any surgical procedure, some recovery time is to be expected following treatment. Thanks to modern medicine, there are many new surgical techniques that make it possible to speed up the healing process. Many of these treatments, such as bone morphogenic protein (BMP) and platelet-rich plasma (PMP), rely on the growth and healing factors that are naturally found within the body.
Bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs) can be used as a way to increase the efficacy of surgical treatments and are commonly used in conjunction with oral surgery procedures such as bone and gum tissue grafting and dental implant surgery. BMPs are naturally found throughout the body. When applied to the surgical site, BMPs stimulate bone growth and healing, which benefits the patient with a faster recovery time and less postoperative pain and discomfort.
Platelet-rich plasma, also known as PRP, promotes faster healing and recovery. PRP contains a high concentration of clotting agents and has been proven to augment recovery time. PRP provides 3 to 5 times the amount of growth factors to the surgical site. As a blood by-product, PRP can be obtained using a small sample of your own blood for a safe and healthy addition to your treatment.
PRP is spun at a quick speed, causing heavier blood cells, such as white blood cells and stem cells, to collect at the bottom of the test tube and the lighter cells to collect at the top. The top part of the test tube is administered to the surgical site for healing. Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) is a similar method of accelerated, natural healing that involves spinning the centrifuge at a slower speed to maintain more white and stem cells in the blood. Thus, more healing factors can be administered to the surgical site.
AlloDerm regenerative tissue matrix, developed by BioHorizons®, was introduced to dentistry in 1997. It supports tissue regeneration by using an effective barrier membrane that transitions into the patient’s own tissue. Ultimately, this matrix contributes to a strong, natural healing process. Talk with your oral surgeon about your options in accelerated healing to learn more about how you can achieve a smooth, speedy recovery.
Gums that are receding pose a risk to oral health. Gums that are recessed pulls the tissue away from the tooth, which leaves more of the tooth and even the tooth root exposed, and can lead to tooth loss and damage to the supporting bone. Gum recession happens slowly over a period of time. The first signs of gum recession may not even be noticeable. It is always a good idea to monitor your oral health with a monthly self-exam, and to see your dentist twice a year for regular check-ups and cleanings.
If a tissue graft is needed to restore the gum that has been lost, your oral surgeon may recommend one of three types:
While most tissue grafts use your own tissue, graft material may also be used from a tissue bank.
