If you’re missing one or more of your natural teeth and want to get dental implants, don’t let
bone loss stop you. Thanks to technology, you have several options for getting dental implants
even if you suffer from inadequate bone in your jaw.
First, x-rays will be taken to see if your bone loss is significant enough to prevent you from
getting traditional dental implants. From there, a treatment plan can be discussed to determine
how to restore your beautiful smile! Here’s what can be done if you’re lacking jaw bone to
support dental implants.
Bone Grafting
If your dentist finds that you are missing a significant amount of bone in your jaw that would
more than likely impact the success of your dental implants, he or she may suggest bone
grafting.
Bone grafting is a procedure where bone is taken from a different area of your body and
applied to your jaw, where it’ll heal for 4-6 months until it’s strong enough to support your
dental implant. Your oral surgeon may also offer a synthetic material that can be used in place
of actual bone, and may help speed up the process.
After your bone graft is complete, your jaw should now be able to support regular dental
implants without any problem. You and your dentist or oral surgeon can decide if this is the
right option for you.
All-on- Four Dental Implants
If you lack bone in your jaw and are missing most of your natural teeth, you may be able to
consider all-on- four dental implants. This is a procedure where only 4-6 dental implants are
placed in your jaw in places where there would be enough bone to support the implants.
After these implants heal, your dentist will construct a bridge that will be permanently attached
to the dental implants. These are not the same as dentures and will not be able to be removed.
All-on- four dental implants provide the sturdiness of regular dental implants with only a few
implants placed.
If you’re in need of a full set of teeth but are worried about your bone loss, talk with your
dentist to discover if all-on- four dental implants would be an option for you.
Mini Dental Implants
You may be able to qualify for dental implants without getting bone grafting with mini dental implants. These are a smaller, more compact version of traditional dental implants that are typically used for the front teeth or incisors. Even if there’s not enough bone to support regular dental implants, your dentist may suggest mini dental implants. Other than their size, mini dental implants aren’t much different than regular dental implants. You may not be able to use these for certain missing teeth, such as molars, but you and your dentist can discuss if mini dental implants are an option for you based on your unique smile!
Are you worried that you won’t be able to get dental implants because of bone loss? Schedule
an appointment to talk with your dentist today about dental implants to discuss your options.
From mini dental implants to bone grafting and all-on- four implants, you can get the smile of
your dreams without compromising!
