Oxygen Medical

A bone graft or bone augmentation may be required for patients who have a soft or thin jaw bone and are having dental implants. Jaw bone loss is quite common, and can happen for many reasons, including tooth extraction, gum disease or tumors. In a bone graft procedure, the bone is built up again using either artificial bone substitute material, bone from a donor, or bone removed from elsewhere in the patient's body. It is often required by patients who are getting dental implants, and is more likely needed if the patient has been without teeth for a long time, and the jawbone has shrunk due to resorption. Recommended for Patients who need dental implants

A dental implant is a small screw-like device that is placed into the jawbone, to replace a natural tooth. The implant acts like a tooth's roots, and over time the dental implant becomes fused to the natural bone, making it stable. Dental implants are used on patients who are missing teeth and are looking for a fixed, permanent solution which will enable them to feel confident in their looks, as well as being able to eat and talk comfortably. Normally, the implant is placed into the jawbone and then allowed to heal (and fuse to the bone or "osseointegrate") for between 6 weeks to 6 months. This allows the implant to heal without coming under pressure from chewing, and reduces the risk of implant failure. Once the implant is secure, the dentist will take an impression of the mouth in order to create a crown to sit on top of the implant and abutment (the connector in between the two). The time needed between implant placement and the attachment of the final prosthesis may vary case by case, based on the density of the jawbone and other variables. Some clinics advise that 6 weeks is enough, and other clinics offer new teeth in a day, using systems such as Straumann's Instant Load dental implants. A dental implant can be used to support a single tooth, but can also form part of a full mouth restoration. Options like All-on-4 and other Implant-Supported Dental Bridges and Implant-Supported Overdentures use a few strategically placed dental implants to hold a full arch (up to 10 or 12 teeth). Recommended for Patients with missing teeth Patients with teeth that cannot be saved and require extraction