Bone augmentation
Bone augmentation
The best approach for the perfect new tooth
There are many prerequisites for successful long-term implant therapy. But the most important of these is sufficient bone material in the jaw. An implant needs at least 2 mm of bone thickness all round, which is not always available. Fortunately, there are long-established concepts for restoring lost bone, especially in the jaw.
The patient’s own bone is the foundation of every bone augmentation. The growth factors and proteins that are present in the patient’s bone ensure that beautiful, stable and living new bone is regenerated. Enough bone material can be obtained from various areas of the upper and lower jaw in every patient, for example, around the angle of mandible in the lower jaw. The chin or parts of the upper jaw are also ideal donor regions. Pelvic surgery to harvest autologous bone is no longer state-of-the-art and should be avoided at all costs!
Membrane technology
The fine art of augmentation
The use of membranes is particularly promising for bone augmentation. There are different shapes, materials and sources available, depending on the purpose they must satisfy. The basic task of a membrane is to prevent the gum or soft tissue penetrating and growing into the bone augmentation.
To create new bone, the body needs two things in the area: rest and stability. This is achieved by fixing the membrane, for example, using small nails or sutures, and some membranes are also reinforced with titanium mesh.
Bone graft material
Create volume with little effort
The patient’s own bone is the foundation of every successful bone augmentation. In our clinic a patient’s bone always makes up at least 50% of the augmentation needed. The remaining material used to augment the bone is bone graft material. There are a wide variety of bone graft materials that differ in their particle size and origin (animal, human, synthetic). Bone graft material can be either resorbable or non-resorbable. Autologous bone (a patient’s own bone) often tends to shrink (resorb) over time and adding non-resorbable bone graft material during bone augmentation helps to create living bone that is stable in the long term and has integrated protection against resorption.
We rely on proven products from Geistlich (BioOss) as bone graft material. This product has been available for over 30 years, is backed by extensive research and delivers successful, stable results.
Risk factors
The devil is in the detail
Dental implants are becoming increasingly popular and offer the possibility of great new teeth with excellent functionality. As is the case in medicine in general, there are nevertheless risk factors that can mitigate success.
Oral hygiene: Good oral hygiene is the most important factor for long-term preservation not only of natural teeth but also of implants. Continuously preventing bacteria from colonising around the implant through excellent oral hygiene measures creates the ideal foundation for lifelong enjoyment of the new teeth.
If you have implants, regular check-ups and professional dental cleaning at least every 6 months are essential.
Smoking: Regularly smoking a cigarette or cigar leads to reduced blood flow in the blood vessels of the gums. This can lead to wound healing disorders after surgery as well as poorer immune defence around the implants. Extensive bone augmentation is not possible in smokers, meaning that patients must stop smoking 3 months before the procedure. This not only helps us but also takes the strain off your wallet and your health.
Radiotherapy and bisphosphonate therapy: If you had radiotherapy around your face or are taking or have taken bisphosphonates (antiresorptive agents) for your bone metabolism, we need to carefully consider which therapy you have had and which procedures are possible for you. We cannot make generalised statements in this regard.