Damaged jawbone tissue is a common dental problem that affects many people, leading to several dental problems from the inability to get dental implants to an altered facial appearance. At Gwinnett Dental Implant & Periodontal Center, we offer several solutions for this, top among them being ridge augmentation. The procedure helps to treat ridge deformities by regenerating new bone tissue and restoring the proper contour of the jawbone.
What Does Ridge Augmentation Involve?
During a tooth extraction procedure, the bone tissue surrounding the tooth can be damaged, causing the tooth socket not to heal properly. As a result, the bone starts to deteriorate, leading to an altered shape of the alveolar ridge. Ridge deformities can also be brought about by an infected tooth socket due to gum disease, tooth decay, or an oral infection that has spread to the ridge. A traumatic dental injury can also cause the deformity of the ridge.
The ridge augmentation procedure helps to fix these ridge deformities by regenerating new bone tissue. The new tissue comes from a bone graft material that is placed on the ridge. After months of healing and regeneration, the new tissue fuses with the existing bone tissue, thus restoring the proper structure of the ridge – the height, width, and contour.
Ridge augmentation is usually performed as a bone-preserving procedure immediately after a tooth extraction. However, it can also be used as a solution for damaged or lost bone tissue in the alveolar ridge.
What Are the Reasons for Ridge Augmentation?
Ridge augmentation is a common dental procedure that is usually performed in preparation of dental implant placement. The regenerated bone tissue helps to ensure that your jawbone is healthy and sufficient to hold dental implants, thus increasing the chances of a successful implant procedure.
Aside from getting dental implants, ridge augmentation can also be performed for aesthetic reasons. This is because the ridge is an important feature of your mouth structure, and any ridge deformities can alter your appearance. Therefore, a ridge augmentation procedure, performed before or after bone loss, can help to improve and maintain your look.
How is the Procedure Performed?
The ridge augmentation procedure starts with a consultation to observe the ridge deformity, and also to create a treatment plan. Following this, the procedure is then carried out under sedation, usually local anesthesia. An incision is made in the gum tissue, exposing the area of the ridge with the deformity. A bone graft is then placed on the area, and the site closed up with sutures.
Aside from bone regeneration, a ridge augmentation procedure might also involve soft tissue regeneration. This happens when the gums have been damaged, for example, due to gum disease, an oral infection, or dental trauma. For the tissue regeneration, an incision will be created in the gum tissue where the deformity is. A pocket is then created, where the tissue graft is placed before closing the site with sutures.
Following the placement of the graft (bone and tissue) a healing period will be allowed, during which new tissue will regenerate and merge with the existing one. The healing period varies from patient to patient depending on the deformity and the amount of new tissue that is needed.
If you are experiencing jaw or gum deterioration, our office offers jaw & gum resorption. We offer a wide range of dental solutions for the treatment of jaw and gum deterioration.
Are deformities in the ridge stopping you from getting implants? Alternatively, are they altering your appearance and dampening your smile? Gwinnett Dental Implant & Periodontal Center can offer you ridge augmentation to restore your ridge. Call us today at (470) 222-8983 to find out more about the procedure and to book an appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ridge augmentation?
Ridge augmentation is a dental procedure used to rebuild and restore the natural contour of the gums and jawbone that may have been lost due to tooth extraction, gum disease, injury, or other causes.
What are the benefits of ridge augmentation?
Ridge augmentation offers several benefits, including restoring the natural contour and aesthetics of the gums and jawline, providing a stable foundation for dental implants, preventing further bone loss, improving oral function by ensuring proper alignment and bite, and enhancing the overall success rate of subsequent dental procedures such as implants.