A dental implant is designed to be a strong, permanent and natural looking replacement for a missing tooth. For this to be successful, the implant must be surgically placed into jawbone, where the titanium implant fuses with bone to become a stable and solid anchor.
Bone augmentation is often required if there is insufficient bone to support a dental implant. It is a process where bone derived from either human (autograft or allograft) or animal (commonly cows) is placed in the implant site to either add or rebuild bone to your jaw.
The most common reason for bone loss is a missing tooth. Your jawbone is maintained through the pressure and stimulation of chewing and biting. When a tooth is extracted or lost, the bone in that area is no longer “in use”, hence, the body begins to resorb or shrink this “unused” bone.
Other common causes of bone loss can also include:
A chronic infection that can destroy the bone supporting your teeth.
A direct injury to the face can damage the jaw bone, cutting off its bone supply and resulting in bone loss.
The longer a tooth has been missing, the more significant the bone loss is likely to be
Dental implants need to be surrounded by healthy bone. If an implant is placed in an area with thin or soft bone, it faces a high risk of instability and failure.
Bone augmentation solves this problem by creating the necessary volume and density of bone. This increases the stability of dental implants and ensures its long-term success. By rebuilding the bone, it also restores the natural contour of your jaw and gums, preventing the “sunken-in” look that often accompanies tooth loss.
The goal of bone augmentation is to place a biocompatible material that acts as a scaffold or a placeholder, which encourages your own body to grow new, natural bone in that area.
While your dentist will select the best bone augmentation material for you, commonly used materials include:
Bone augmentation is a highly predictable and common procedure. The most critical part is often the healing period; which can take several months (usually 3 to 9 months depending on your case) for the graft material to fully integrate and mature into your own new, natural bone.
While you can expect some mild, manageable discomfort and swelling for a few days after the procedure, the long-term healing is a gradual, background process. Once your dentist confirms the new bone is mature, your jaw bone will be ready to receive the dental implant.
While it may add an additional step to your dental implant journey, bone augmentation is often the key to ensuring your new tooth has a stable foundation and a successful, long-lasting future.
At Tetra Dental Clinic, we provide professional bone augmentation tailored to each patient’s needs, focusing on preserving your natural teeth while keeping you comfortable throughout the process. Using established techniques and detailed diagnostic protocols, we always aim to save patients’ natural teeth even when managing complex dental cases.
Get In touch
Take the next step towards a healthier, more confident smile. Book your bone augmentation consultation with Tetra Dental Clinic today.
Please take a moment to complete this short form so our patient coordinator can get in touch with you within 24 hours. For urgent matters or immediate appointment requests, please call the clinic at (65) 6876 0167.
