Ridge Augmentation (Bone Grafting)

Ridge augmentation is a bone-grafting technique designed to regenerate the jawbone so it will have adequate volume to accept a dental implant.

If an implant is placed in alveolar bone that has deteriorated after a tooth or teeth have been lost, the implant may fail or the final result will not look natural. The indentation in the gums and bones where the tooth used to be will cause the replacement tooth to appear too long compared to the adjacent teeth. Ridge augmentation can correct this problem by filling in the defect to return the natural contour of the gums and jawbone.

Placing and implant into an area where too much bone has been lost will likely not have a successful outcome because the bone will be too weak to support the forces placed on the implant from chewing and eating.

Grafting bone (ridge augmentation) will build up the ridge and add volume to indentations. The graft, composed of synthetic, naturally derived, or a combination of bone grafting materials will provide a scaffold for the patient’s own bone to regenerate. After a few months, varying with each patient, the jawbone can regain the density needed to provide a stable base into which an implant may be placed.

By building up the jawbone and preparing it properly, an implant can have a successful outcome.