Alliston, ON Dentist Explains Bone Regeneration
Gum disease initially affects soft tissues, then progresses to destroy the connective structures and bone supporting teeth. Once a tooth is lost, the absence of root stimulation causes further bone loss. Bone regeneration procedures help reverse some of this damage and may be performed either prior to or at the same time as implant placement.
While each treatment is tailored to the patient’s needs, bone regeneration generally involves one or more of the following steps:
- Flap surgery – After numbing your mouth for comfort, gum tissue is carefully folded back to allow thorough removal of disease-causing bacteria.
- Bone grafting – Tissue may be taken from a donor site, or natural or synthetic grafting compounds may be used. This material acts as a scaffold, encouraging your body to create new bone cells.
- Guided bone regeneration – Specialized membranes cover the grafted area, accelerating healing and supporting proper tissue growth.
Tissue stimulation – Biologically active proteins are applied to the graft site to promote faster and stronger bone regeneration.