Accidents can happen at any moment; but all of these usually have a solution. Advances in the medical field have made complicated surgeries simple; imagine that during an accident you suffer a severe bone fracture in your jaw.
As soon as possible you head to your doctor’s office and he takes a few x-rays and after a deep analysis of them; your doctor suggest that the best solution is: bone graft.
This is the first time you hear of this surgery and ask your doctor if he can explain to you the procedure.
Bone Grafts
Bone Graft is a surgical procedure used by doctors, to correct problems associated with bones or joints. Doctors will use this procedure to repair bones after trauma, problem joints, or growing bone around implanted devices; for example dental implants or knee replacements (TKR).
The bone graft used in these procedures can come from you own body, a donor or it can be artificially made. Once the implant is accepted by the patient, the bone graft provides a structure where bone can once again grow. Bone graft can come in a variety of forms, the 5 most common bone graft surgeries are:
Autograft
- Autograft or Autologous is a surgery in which bone is obtained from the same person who will receive the graft. Bone is harvested from non-essential bones; in the case of oral and maxillofacial surgeries, bones are obtained from the mandibular symphysis (chin) and in other cases the anterior mandibular ramus.
- Donating bone areas include: the iliac crest, the fibula, the ribs, the mandible and parts of the skull.
Dentin Graft
- Dentin graft consists of 85% of tooth structure, the enamel and other minerals in teeth are used to assist with the bone natural regrowth.
- Once grafted dentin will release different chemicals; with these will stimulate growth, this technique is called osteoclasts.
Allografts
- Allograft is similar to an autograft; however the difference is that the bone is donated from a dead body (cadaver).
- When a person passes away he can donate some of his remains to a bone bank.
Synthetic Variants
- When natural bone is not available, doctors could offer you artificial bone. This artificial bone can be created from ceramics, for example: bioglass, calcium phosphates and calcium sulphate. Your dentist can explain to you the products they use and how the presence of certain elements helps with bone re-mineralization and enhance osteoblast.
Xenografts
- Xenograft is the transplantation of bone, living cells, tissues and other organs from one species to another. These are usually from an animal and in recent advances doctor have manipulated and began to use wood.
Oral Procedure: Bone Grafts
Step 1
An initial step when performing oral bone graft, can involve the extraction of a damage tooth. Your dentist will numb the affected area(s) and afterwards used pillars to pull the tooth out. In most cases tooth extraction is quick and straightforward; the extraction comes in two forms: simple extractions or surgical extractions.
Step 2
Once the tooth has been removed the area is treated and cleaned. Prior to the graft surgery your dentist will ask for your medical history and perform a physical examination. After anesthesia, your surgeon will make a small incision in the skin surrounding the area, where the graft will be performed.
Step 3
After the incision has been made, your dentist will shape the donated bone to fit the area. In the case of dental graft, the cleaned socket is filled with bone graft material.
Socket Preservation – A dental procedure that is indispensable in the prevention of bone loss, in patients’ oral cavity.
Step 4
Once bone graft material has filled the socket, the dentist might place a membrane or collagen tape to contain the graft material. Dentist will determine if this step is needed in each patient case. The membrane is place around the operated area and serves to enhance the formation of new bone and to prevent the risk of infection in the grafted area (not require in all cases).
Step 5
Once the bone graft in securely place; your dental surgeon will closed the wounded area, through stiches. The stiches are visible from 2~3 weeks, the average healing time; afterwards the stiches could be reabsorb or remove through another procedure.
Once the procedure is finish your dentist might offer you specific instructions and offer you medication to prevent inflammation and infections.
Take Care of Your Smile at Huangshan Dental
We invite you to consider Huangshan Dental for high-quality, efficient, and cost-effective dental care abroad.
Huangshan International Dental Hospital is a specialized dental institution based in Anhui, China, and has become a recognized destination for international patients seeking efficient and reliable implant treatment. By operating an in-house AI-powered dental lab, the hospital is able to provide same-day implants while maintaining strict quality control and significantly reducing treatment costs. This integrated approach allows patients to access advanced implant solutions that are both reliable and reasonably priced.
Supported by a highly experienced clinical team trained in China and overseas, each implant specialist at Huangshan Dental has completed over 10,000 successful procedures. Through long-term collaboration with RES Dental in the United States, international clinical expertise is continuously incorporated into daily practice. Dedicated operating rooms and a three-tier preoperative examination system further ensure treatment safety and consistency.
Patients can complete treatment on the same day of arrival, recover efficiently, and enjoy the natural scenery of Huangshan during their stay. For consultations or more information, please visit huangshandental.com or contact [email protected]
