Ridge Augmentation
Naperville, IL
Ridge Augmentation provided by Dr. Michael Scherer
in Naperville, IL at Wheaton Oral Surgery
 The bones that protect your teeth in your jaw are called alveolar bumps.
When a tooth is lost, a hollow socket is left in the bone of the alveolar ridge. Typically, this hollow socket is slowly repaired by the body on its own, packed in with bone and tissue.
However, after a tooth is removed, the bone inside the socket splits and frequently cannot be repaired itself. This causes the socket height and width to begin deteriorating.
Having proper bone support, such as through a ridge augmentation, enables improved consistency of long-term dental operations and oral wellbeing. The jawbone takes care of the bone graft and retains its original form, giving you a smooth, natural look when the ridge augmentation is complete. Bone augmentation will enhance the appearance of that region of your mouth, leading to more normal-appearing teeth and fewer large gaps between the bridge and gums.
This treatment is useful in dentistry, dental bridge therapy, and dental implant procedures for patients. Wheaton Oral Surgery can help you with getting a ridge augmentation surgery so that you can have your smile back and eat food without worrying about pain.
What Is Ridge Augmentation Surgery?
A ridge augmentation is one of the surgical procedures we offer at our Naperville, IL practice. The main purpose of the procedure is to replenish the normal contour of the gums and jaw, which may be missing due to lack of bone owing to tooth removal, malformation, or other damage.
To sustain their structure, dental implants need bone, and a ridge augmentation may help reconstruct this bone to fit the implant.
Am I a Candidate for Ridge Augmentation Surgery?
If you are missing teeth, then you may be a candidate for ridge augmentation surgery.
When a dental patient has been without teeth for such a long period of time, the bone that previously supported those teeth shrinks. This reduction in bone levels can make restoring the patient's dentition very difficult.
Without sufficient bone mass, wearing traditional complete dentures becomes problematic. This problem can be overcome by the placement of dental implants with alveolar ridge augmentation.
Preparing for Ridge Augmentation Surgery
Ridge augmentation can be done for short spans of bone where only two to three teeth are missing or it can be performed on an entire arch of the jawbone.
If augmentation is done on the upper jaw in the posterior molar region, sometimes an additional graft known as a sinus lift is needed. In this case, bone grafts are added between the skin and natural bone of the maxillary sinuses, located behind the cheekbones (maxilla).
These grafts allow dental implants to be placed without making an opening in the sinus itself, which would otherwise lead to infection, congestion, and pain.
When alveolar ridge augmentation is done on the lower jaw, special attention must be paid to the location of the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) canal which runs through the center of the jawbone (mandible).
Both the maxillary sinus and IAN are found on preliminary digital panoramic x-rays and a Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) scan that are ordered by the dentist prior to surgery.
These scans allow Dr. Scherer to make an exact plan of how much bone grafting will need to be done and in which areas they should be placed.
What Happens During a Ridge Augmentation Surgery?
Alveolar ridge augmentation is a procedure which helps to regrow the missing bone that is normally found under the gums in both the upper and lower jaw. This process makes the placing of dental implants possible so that dentures or bridges can be attached, allowing them greater stability. Grafting bone onto the top and sides of the alveolar ridge increases the shrunken bone back to a usable density.
How Long Does the Ridge Augmentation Surgery Take?
The procedure takes about one hour to complete. The surgery could take longer if there are additional procedures needed, such as a sinus lift.
Anesthesia Administration
The patient can be numbed with only local anesthesia or may additionally be sedated with nitrous oxide gas or intravenous (IV) drugs.
Is the Surgery Painful?
The ridge augmentation surgery will not be painful, as you will be given local or general anesthesia prior to the procedure. The dentist may recommend over-the-counter pain relievers for after the procedure.
Incision and Tissue Removal
If you are receiving ridge augmentation at the time of tooth extraction, you will have already received a local anesthetic to keep you comfortable for the removal of the tooth.
If you are having ridge augmentation as a standalone procedure, then our team will numb you up before starting because they will be making incisions.
After your tooth is removed, Dr. Scherer will place a graft material into the empty socket. The gums along your ridge are stretched over this material to hold it in place and protect the exposed area. Your gums will then be sutured into place.
Over time, the graft material will harden and fuse with your existing jawbone. As with other bone grafts, this fusion process can take quite a while. Complete fusion can take as long as one year in some cases but typically takes only a few months.
Sutures and Bandaging
The gums are sutured closed and the patient is given oral hygiene instructions to assist with healing.
Recovery and Post-Operative Care
Infection is one of the common risks which can arise if proper oral care is not maintained.
To decrease the risk of infection, patients should take careful care of their teeth after any procedure with us, and follow the recommendations of Dr. Scherer.
The risk of an infection is dependent on the severity and location of the surgery. The most frequent complication is when the inferior alveolar nerve is inadvertently damaged. The skin swelling, scar formation, and allergic reactions are all common risks that can occur both during and after the augmentation.
Recovery time after surgery, if there are no complications, is typically about two weeks.
When Can I Return to Work After the Surgery?
Individuals can usually return to work a few days after ridge augmentation surgery, depending on how they are feeling and recovering.
How Long is the Recovery Period?
The patient will be given approximately six months to heal before dental implants can be placed.
When the patient returns to the office after healing, further digital x-rays and CBCT scans are taken to ensure that sufficient bone is now available for dental implant placement. Dr. Scherer will work with each patient to decide together which prostheses would be most appropriate to restore the patient's smile, the vertical opening of the jaw, and chewing capacity.
Schedule a Consultation With Your Naperville Oral Surgeon Today!
To learn more or to set up an appointment with us, please do not hesitate to contact us here at Wheaton Oral Surgery at (331) 204-0314. |
