Bone Grafting and Sinus Lifts in Elk Grove, CA

Dental implants are an excellent option for replacing one or more missing teeth. They offer many benefits because they look, feel, and function like real teeth and can last a lifetime with proper care.

At Laguna Springs Dental in Elk Grove, CA, we offer complete implant services, from placement to restoration. Dr. Mohamad Albik is well-versed in implant dentistry and performs advanced procedures like bone grafting and All-on-4.

Bone Grafting and Dental Implants

To get an implant, it's necessary to place the implant post in the jawbone. After it heals and integrates with the bone, we attach a custom implant crown that restores your appearance and ability to chew comfortably. 

For this process to be successful, however, the bone in the implant area must be as thick and dense as possible. In certain cases, however, irreversible bone loss has occurred, and there's insufficient bone thickness to support the implant post. 

This doesn't necessarily mean you have to give up on getting an implant. At Laguna Springs Dental, we use bone grafting to make it possible to get an implant in the future. 

Bone grafting is a process where natural or synthetic bone tissue is transplanted into the jaw to promote the growth of new bone. The donated bone may be synthetic, come from your body, or a donor's bone.

After the graft is placed, the new bone tissue and existing bone integrate. Think of the graft as a scaffold onto which your bone grows and regenerates. It can take 3–9 months for the bone to fully heal and become stable enough to support a dental implant.

When Are Bone Grafts Recommended?

Bone grafts in dentistry are used for more than successful dental implant placement. Dr. Albik has the skills and expertise to perform the following types of bone graft procedures at our Elk Grove, CA, dental office:

Socket Preservation

We may recommend a graft immediately after tooth extraction, called socket preservation. After a tooth is extracted, the bone surrounding it begins to break down or resorb. The goal of socket preservation is to fill the void left after extraction and preserve the structure of the socket.

Ridge Augmentation

If you've been living with tooth loss for a while, the height and width of your jawbone ridge can deteriorate. Ridge augmentation places grafting material in the area to rebuild or augment the bone, regenerating bone tissue and creating a stable foundation for implants or other restorations.

Sinus Augmentation

Your maxillary sinuses are located just above your upper back teeth. If you have lost teeth in this area, the sinuses can drop into the space formerly occupied by the tooth roots. 

We can't place an implant in this case because we risk penetrating the sinus membrane. If you want to replace these teeth with implants, we need to create space by performing a sinus lift or sinus augmentation procedure. This involves raising the sinus and placing a bone graft underneath it. 

Schedule an Appointment at our Elk Grove Dental Clinic to Learn More

Have you been told you can't get an implant due to jawbone loss? Dr. Albik would be pleased to meet you and evaluate your needs to see if bone grafting is an option. Please call our Elk Grove, CA, dental office to schedule an appointment.