Bone Grafting in North County San Diego (Carlsbad, Vista, Oceanside, Encinitas, San Marcos, Escondido)

Sometimes there isn’t enough bone for a dental implant or for a proper-fitting prosthesis. Most patients benefit from bone grafts at the time of tooth extraction if they are planning on a dental implant. With or without a referral, we are happy to meet with you to determine what the next steps should be in treating your bone loss.

In some cases involving major bone loss (previous trauma, severe periodontal disease), larger grafts will be necessary. These vary significantly depending on the area in the jaws and the extent of the defect. Some of these cases will require a 3D cone beam scan (CBCT) in order to determine the severity and specifics of the case.

Treatment – The treatment involves making an incision through the gums to access the bone. Bone grafting material will then be applied to the deficient site. Each patient is quite different, and the surgical approach may vary slightly to create the best outcome in preparation for your dental implants or prostheses. Sutures will be used to help keep the gums closed while the site heals.

Aftercare – Do NOT brush over the site of your bone graft for the first couple days. After 2-3 days, you may begin gently brushing over the area. Sometimes the sutures may come undone if you brush too forcefully, and this can ruin the graft. Depending on the graft the sutures may need to be removed.

Recovery – Usually we evaluate your healing about 2 weeks after your bone grafting procedure. We will then wait about 3-9 months (depending on the type of graft), before proceeding with dental implants. If you ever have any questions about this process or your case, please don’t hesitate to give us a call.