Bone Grafting

Healthy teeth are essential for a healthy jaw bone. When teeth become damaged, fall out, or require removal and are not replaced with appropriate restoration, the health of the jaw bone suffers. The tooth root plays a vital role in stimulating healthy bone growth. Advances in oral surgery techniques now allow us to mitigate this issue by placing a bone graft in the affected area of the jaw.

Bone grafting is a great option for patients who wish to restore their teeth with dental implants but do not have enough bone to place the implant post securely. At Oral Surgery Specialists of Oklahoma, we specialize in the placement of dental implants and are skilled in bone grafting techniques to prepare the mouth for a successful restoration.

Dr. Robert Bryan and Dr. Jeremy Goodson will assess the quality of the jaw bone and make recommendations for treatment. Our periodontist, Dr. Hayden Fuller, specializes in soft tissue grafting to treat gum recession. Contact us in Oklahoma City, OK, today for a consultation. During your appointment, we will evaluate your oral health and create a treatment plan specific to your needs.

Types of Bone Grafting Treatments

We offer a wide variety of bone grafting options to suit every patient’s unique restorative needs. The number of teeth we are restoring, the location of the surgery, and the current health of the bone are all factors to consider. These factors and more can be determined during your consultation and through the use of i-CAT^™ 3D imaging technology.

Socket Preservation

Many patients undergoing a single tooth extraction will also receive a socket preservation bone graft to prepare the site for a future implant. The grafting material fills the empty socket and prevents future bone loss while the area of extraction heals. Once ready, this new bone will provide a solid base for implant placement.

Sinus Lift

We will perform a sinus lift procedure when we are restoring the teeth at the very back of the upper jaw. The bone in this area separates the mouth from the sinuses and is typically very thin. During this treatment, we carefully lift the sinus floor by placing a bone graft in the newly created space, giving the implant post a sturdy foundation of bone.

Major Bone Grafting

Major bone grafting is often performed to address an area with a significant amount of bone loss. Trauma incidents, birth defects, cysts or tumors in the jaw, severe infections, or the loss of many teeth without restoration can all contribute to this level of bone loss. The bone used in this graft may be taken from another area of the jaw, another bone in the body, or may be a bone graft substitute material. Each patient’s unique situation will dictate the treatment plan for major bone grafting procedures.

Soft Tissue Grafting

Gingival recession occurs when the tissue surrounding the tooth gradually begins to pull away, exposing the tooth root. It is often a result of periodontal disease and if left untreated, gum recession can progress, leaving space for pockets to form between the teeth and gum line. Bacteria can become trapped in these pockets, damaging tooth structures and eventually leading to tooth loss. Dr. Fuller performs soft tissue grafting to treat receding gums, which can sometimes be combined with periodontal pocket surgery to treat deep pockets.

A soft tissue graft may be harvested from the roof of your mouth. In some cases, tissue is collected from a tissue bank or other materials may be used in place of your own tissue. If there is sufficient gum tissue around the neighboring teeth, a pedicle graft may be used. This involves grafting gum from a nearby tooth instead of the palate, avoiding the need for a second surgical site. The chosen graft material is positioned and sutured into place. We will cover the site with a bandage and you will wear a mouth guard for the first few days of healing.

At Oral Surgery Specialists of Oklahoma, we offer a variety of soft tissue grafting treatments and will cater your treatment plan to meet your exact needs. Dr. Fuller is an expert periodontist who is highly trained and experienced in a multitude of soft tissue grafting procedures.

Accelerate Healing With BMP and PRP

Bone Morphogenetic Protein

When patients need bone grafting or bone augmentation procedures, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) can promote bone growth and healing. Using BMP can drastically decrease healing time and improve bone growth in the area of surgery.

Bone morphogenetic protein works because it mimics the exact structure of the molecules that support bone growth in your body. Using your body’s existing healing channels is an ideal way to promote healing and growth. Our staff works hard to find the safest and most effective treatment methods for our patients, and BMP is an excellent way to help promote bone healing and growth after surgery.

Benefits of Using BMP

In general, the BMP substance is mixed with water and soaked into a sponge-like collagen material. During the surgery, we will place this material over the area of bone that requires extra growth. Over the next few weeks and months, your natural bone will grow into the area we placed the BMP. This new bone can be used as a foundation for a dental implant, to secure an area where we performed jaw surgery, or to prevent bone loss after a dental extraction. BMP offers many benefits, including:

• Expedite the entire surgical process, making treatment and recovery easier
• Can eliminate the need for an additional bone grafting procedure
• By not requiring a bone graft, no additional surgical sites are necessary
• FDA-approved for many oral surgery procedures

Platelet-Rich Plasma

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a specialized substance that is a by-product of blood. It allows us to supply a high concentration of our patient’s blood platelets directly to the surgical site. This technique sends three to five times the number of platelets in a typical blood sample to the site, prompting bone and gum tissue growth, which speeds up healing in the mouth and offers patients a more comfortable recovery.

Why Utilize Platelet-Rich Plasma?

Platelet-rich plasma is a unique treatment option because it accelerates the body’s natural healing process. Platelets in the blood enable clotting and the release of growth factors, which allow the body to heal on its own rapidly. By providing the surgical area with a lot of platelets, the rate of blood clotting and growth factor release is accelerated, allowing the body to heal more quickly and efficiently.

Patients who receive PRP during their procedure enjoy a variety of benefits, including:

• A safer procedure. This technique enlists the power of the patient’s blood sample. Since no chemical additives are necessary, the patient’s risk of disease transmission is reduced significantly.
• An economical solution. Using the patient’s blood decreases the cost involved with harvesting platelets from a blood bank sample.
• A convenient treatment. The use of PRP is a versatile technique and is easy to use in various procedures performed at our office.
• A faster healing time. The increased platelet and leukocyte levels allow for the rapid healing of tissue and bone. This benefit is particularly appealing to patients who have a busy lifestyle and wish to recover quickly.

Can Platelet-Rich Plasma Be Used During My Procedure?

Dr. Bryan and Dr. Goodson utilize platelet-rich plasma during several oral surgical procedures, including

• General tooth extraction
• Wisdom teeth removal
• Bone grafting for dental implants
• Sinus lifting
• Ridge augmentation
• Gum tissue grafting
• Closure of cleft lip and palate defects
• Repair of the sinus cavity and mouth

During the initial consultation, we will discuss all options for treatment, including the use of platelet-rich plasma. We encourage patients to ask questions about their options to make an informed decision about their oral health.