A missing tooth can be embarrassing. It can also make it harder for you to eat or even speak clearly. What you may not know is that your tooth’s root exerts pressure on your jaw, which strengthens the bone. Without that pressure, your jawbone begins to weaken and deteriorate, or resorb. Advanced periodontal or gum disease can also contribute to this problem.

To keep your jaw healthy and strong, our periodontist may suggest a bone graft. Dental implants require a healthy amount of bone in your jaw, and a bone graft may be one of the first steps in the process of placing an implant. For best results, we try to use bone tissue taken from another area of your body. However, a successful graft can also be achieved from a tissue bank or even with artificial material. The graft is placed in the weak area of your jaw, and the cells from the old and new bone begin to knit together, creating a stronger jaw.

If you are living with gum disease, have had a tooth extraction, have lost a tooth to trauma or are considering dental implants, call our office to see if a bone graft would be a suitable treatment for you.