Bone Grafts in Lafayette
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The Bone Grafting Process
The Initial Consultation
Visit our dental office at Lafayette to meet with our dentists for a confidential consultation. The doctor will perform a thorough oral examination to assess the health of your teeth and jaw bone density to see if you’re a good candidate for a bone graft surgery. After dental x-rays and scans, the dentist will discuss the findings with you before developing a personalized treatment plan to meet your unique dental health needs.
The Bone Graft Surgery
After the initial consultation, you will schedule a bone graft surgery appointment, and your dentist will provide you with a comprehensive treatment plan. Initially, your dentist will numb the affected area with a local anesthetic before creating a tiny incision in your gums. Then the dentist will clean and disinfect the site and add bone grafting material to restore your bone.
Healing Process
After a bone graft, you may experience pain, bruising, and swelling. These symptoms should disappear in a few days. Over-the-counter pain relievers can be used to manage after-surgery symptoms. Your dentist may also prescribe medication that should be taken according to the prescription.
What to Expect
Fix Chips & Cracks
If you have tooth damage, large fillings, eroded enamel, or chips in your teeth, these can cause insecurity in the harmony of your smile. Veneers not only cover up these problems but they also provide extra strength and durability to protect your teeth from further damage.
Cover Discoloration
We all want a bright white smile, but it’s difficult to maintain when so many of the things we eat and drink cause discoloration. Regular cleanings and teeth whitening can help give us a whitening boost but only temporarily. Veneers provide you with long-term white teeth that last for 15 years and are stain-resistant.
Close Gaps & Misaligned Teeth
If you have gapped front teeth or slightly crooked teeth, these can detract from the aesthetics of your smile, but orthodontic treatment can be very expensive and time-consuming. When orthodontic issues are minor enough, veneers can simply cover them up to give you straight, perfectly spaced teeth.
Change Tooth Size & Shape
Maybe you don’t have damage, discoloration, or orthodontic problems but you’re unhappy with the shape or size of your teeth. Veneers give you the ability to control how big, square, long, and even your teeth are.
What to Expect
Following a bone graft, you can expect a little discomfort and pain. However, most patients say that these symptoms are manageable. Just remember to take your medications as prescribed. You can also expect temporary dietary changes, changes in sleeping position, and reduced physical activity.
When Are Bone Grafts Necessary?
Bone grafts are necessary for patients with missing bone in their upper jaw. It can help stimulate the bone growth required to restructure the jaw or prepare it for restorative dentistry, such as dental implants often used to replace missing teeth.
Am I a Good Candidate for a Bone Graft?
Your dentist may recommend a dental bone graft if you have the following:
- Bone loss
- Tooth loss or gum disease
- Need implants for missing teeth
Did you know that the bone graft grows and turns into your own bone within three to six months? Consider scheduling an implant consultation with Dr. Deniakos once your graft has healed.