If you don’t have enough bone, what are the options?

So far the areas covered are the building blocks that are part of routine implant placement. This has included the initial examination and diagnosis, X-rays such as the CT scan, sedation during surgery and what to expect after the implants have been placed. However, for some people, bone loss after the removal or loss of teeth leaves them without enough to secure an implant.

Sinus Augmentation
In the upper jaw, above the back teeth, it is possible to increase the height of available bone by creating new bone in the sinus. This procedure is commonly referred to as ‘sinus augmentation’. A skilled surgeon can deliver predictable results in this location and if this procedure is not successful, many patients would be unable to have implants in a part of the mouth where teeth are usually missing.

Onlay Grafting
There are many ways in which bone can be added to, however a simple concept is to take one piece of bone from another location and secure it using an onlay graft to a deficient area. The new piece of bone will slowly fuse to the underlying region and, when healed and mature, an implant can be situated in a much more favourable position.