Tooth loss obviously means negative changes to the appearance of your smile, but did you know it could also weaken your jaw? This in turn impacts your ability to receive dental implants. But we can rebuild these weakened portions! In today’s blog, your Santa Rosa, CA, oral and maxillofacial surgeons talk about grafting and sinus lift procedures.
The Impact of Adult Tooth Loss
The body will notice when you lose a tooth. In response, it will suspend the flow of key nutrients to the jaw, which in turn weakens the structure. You lose mass and density, which could allow further tooth loss and over time, lead to an aged appearance. This weakened structure means that you may not be able to receive dental implants to replace your lost teeth, as there is not enough structure to support your new tooth roots. But with ridge augmentation and a sinus lift, we can ensure your lower and upper jaw can receive these durable and lifelike replacement teeth!
Ridge Augmentation
Also known as jawbone grafting, this addresses the lower portion. We will add new structure, which helps fortify it and ensure it can receive dental implants. Once the new tooth roots are in place, this helps stimulate growth to ensure your smile remains intact and that your new teeth can remain for decades to come. We can use tissues taken from other parts of your body, such as the rear of your jaw, your hip, or your knee bone. Our team could also use donor or synthetic sources too. As with all oral surgeries, we will employ digital technology to plan the process in detail, and use anesthesia and sedation to ensure your experience is a calm and comfortable one.
Sinus Lift
What about the upper jaw? For this portion of your smile, we don’t add new structures as we do with a ridge augmentation. Instead, we will essentially raise the sinus floor to uncover new structures that can support tooth roots. Our team also offers full dentures supported with only four dental implants, implants that don’t need as much bone tissue to stay in place. For some, this could mean no need for grafting or a sinus lift. Our team can help choose which one is right for you! If you have any questions about how we strengthen your jaw with grafting and sinus lift procedures, or about how we place and restore dental implants, then contact our team today.
Talk to Our Team About Oral Surgery Santa Rosa, CA
Our team wants to help you enjoy a full and beautiful smile again. To learn more about how we rebuild your smile, then give us a call at Santa Rosa Oral Surgery at (707)545-4625 today!
