It is a dental surgery that restores damaged bone tissue in the oral cavity. Bone graft surgery in Chicago entails obtaining graft tissue from a different part of your body, a human donor, or a synthetic source to repair the damaged bone tissue.
Bone tissue in the oral cavity deteriorates due to jawbone inactivity. If you lose your natural teeth and do not replace them soon, the bone tissue will begin to disintegrate. At this, if you want to replace your teeth with dental implants, you would need a bone grafting surgery beforehand. You can also need bone graft surgery due to congenital disabilities, developmental issues, or traumatic dental injuries.
How Does a Dental Bone Graft Work?
Once your oral surgeon has confirmed the source of the bone graft, he proceeds to extract it. If the graft is from your body, you will undergo two different surgeries. After obtaining the graft, the dentist places it on the target area of your jawbone, places a membrane over it for added protection, then sews the tissues together. The grafting surgery relies on your body to naturally grow and regenerate while integrating the graft tissue.
When Do You Need a Bone Graft?
Surprisingly, bone graft surgeries are common procedures. They help address various dental issues, including the following:
- After a tooth extraction – for socket preservation to fill the void that remains once a tooth is removed.
- Implantation surgery to receive a dental implant to replace a lost tooth.
- Rebuilding the jawbone before receiving dentures.
- Treating periodontitis, a severe and advanced stage of gum disease.
How Much Does Dental Bone Grafting Hurt?
The one thing you must know about bone grafting is that it is a surgery. Therefore, it may be uncomfortable, especially during your recovery. The surgery may not be painful because of sedation dentistry and local anesthesia. The anesthesia numbs your mouth while the sedatives keep you calm and relaxed throughout the treatment.
How Long Does Pain Last After Dental Bone Graft
After a dental bone graft, the pain will mostly revolve around swelling, soreness, tenderness, and discomfort. Since it takes about 3-4 months for the bone tissue to fully integrate and heal, you may have a tender jawbone for a while.
However, you should not be experiencing any severe pain levels. Many people liken the pain to healing from a tooth extraction or root canal. Your dentist should prescribe pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs to manage the pain and swelling during recovery.
To promote faster healing and alleviate discomfort during the period, consider the following tips:
- Keep your head elevated when you lie down. It will reduce blood pooling in your head, which often aggravates the pain and swelling.
- Cold compress with an ice bag. It will alleviate the pain and swelling.
- Take your pain medication religiously.
- Eat healthily to supply your body with all the necessary nutrients, boosting your immune system to support self-healing.
- Rest – Although it may feel like wasting time, resting is crucial for your healing process. It allows your body to concentrate only on recovery instead of every other task you are doing. Make amole time to rest every day while you recover.
- Eat soft foods. It may take a couple of days or weeks before you are comfortable with hard foods. The idea is to prevent excessive chewing and abrasion that may compromise the healing pace of your surgical wound.
Benefits of Getting Bone Graft at Family Dental Care
When you visit us at Family Dental Care – Chicago for a bone grafting surgery, you will know you have made the best decision because of the following factors:
High precision – we have top-of-the-line technology that allows our oral surgeons to operate with great precision. It will reduce the accidental damage to healthy tissues in your oral cavity, reducing the healing duration.
Exceptional aftercare services – when you are ready to go home, you will feel equipped to care for your oral health as you heal and recover.
Alternative approaches for sedation – you can choose your sedation method of choice. Some patients prefer sleep dentistry, while others want to be awake during the procedure.
Additional treatment protocols – we can offer you any other dental services you may want, including dental implants or dentures.
