RIDGE AUGMENTATION

 
Introduction
Sometimes when you lose one or more teeth, you can get an indention in your gums and jawbone where the tooth used to be.

Diagnosis
This happens because the jawbone recedes when it no longer is holding a tooth in place. Not only is this indentation unnatural looking, it also causes the replacement tooth to look too long, compared to the adjacent teeth. This may even affect the way you speak, if it involves a front tooth.

Treatment Options
This surgical procedure uses a barrier membrane and or bone graft replacement material placed under the gum and over the remaining bone support (ridge or jaw bone) to enhance regeneration of new bone in an area where teeth are being extracted or have already been removed. The graft material may be from the patient's own body (autogenous bone) or an artificial, synthetic, or natural substitute. This is done to build up the bone support in an area in anticipation of the placement of a dental implant or to improve the shape and contour of the ridge (jaw bone) prior to placing a bridge or a partial denture. To put it more simply, it prevents the collapse of the surrounding bone into the extraction socket after the removal of a tooth; if this is not done, the ridge becomes narrow and sharp and not conducive to the placement of an implant or for a comfortable-fitting denture.
Recovery Procedures
After a healing period of approximately four months, a dental implant will be placed. Prosthetic restoration will then be completed after an additional four-month healing period.