When considering having dental implants, many patients worry about whether they are suitable or not, given that it takes a specific bone structure so dentists can work on dental implants. In order to ascertain whether a patient is suitable for dental implants, we take a particular course of action, which includes a well-executed planning stage.
The success of the entire process lies in the planning stage. Here are SameDay Teeth Suite, we take either 2-D X-rays or CT scans to evaluate the 3-D dimension of the bone. This allows us to plan before a patient implants if the patient has enough bone.
What if a Patient does not Have Enough Bone Structure?
If a patient’s bone structure is not enough for dental implants, then there are ways around this. If there is insufficient bone vertically, in a region of the upper jaw called posterior region, it is because the patient does not have enough bone under the sinuses. In this case, the proper course of action is to carry out a procedure called a sinus lift. It is a common procedure we carry out, through which we can increase the height of bone, which allows us to place dental implants in the upper posterior region
What Happens When a Patient Does Not Have a Lot of Bone?
Sometimes, when we take a CT scan, we notice that the patient may have very slight bone loss. We can handle this by placing a dental implant and then placing a minor bone graft at the same time. The analogy which Dr Bohara uses for this, to explain to patients, is that, “if I was to put screw into the wall and I wanted to cover that screw, I’d put a small poly filler over it. This is how I try to explain this type of procedure related to a minor bone graft.”
So, when we place a dental implant and we have minor bone deficiency, then we can place artificial bone straight on to that implant and then let that heal for approximately 3 to 4 months before placing the post and crown.
In some cases, a minor bone graft may not be adequate because the patient has lost too much bone. In these cases, which is very rare at our clinic, we can do something called a block graft. A block graft is using the patient’s own bone to widen the ridge to allow us to place dental implants.
It has become apparent that us here at SameDay Teeth Suite have various solutions and options for patients whose bone structure for dental implants is not enough. You have made us your trusted dental experts in the UK, which we are grateful. As a token of our appreciation, we invite you to book your free consultation, get a full assessment and receive your personalised quote, as per your needs.