Ridge Augmentation
Surprise, AZ
 Here at Surprise Oral & Implant Surgery, we can help you determine if you need ridge augmentation. This is an extremely common procedure that is usually done after a tooth is extracted or lost, to recreate the gums’ natural contour that was lost, most likely due to teeth removal.
This procedure can also be performed to restore the natural contour of your jaw. Your teeth roots are surrounded by the alveolar ridge of the jaw, so after tooth removal, there might be an empty space left behind in the bone. This empty spot will almost always heal automatically, using bone and tissue to fill the empty space left behind. However, sometimes the bone around the socket is damaged after tooth removal and is then incapable of healing itself. This means that the space left behind will begin to get worse.
Rebuilding the alveolar ridge with its original width and height isn’t necessary medically speaking. However, it might be necessary for dental implants since they require adequate bone to support the structure, and this procedure can rebuild the bone to accommodate the implant.
How Does the Ridge Augmentation Surgery Work?
Ridge Augmentation is done by positioning bone graft into the tooth socket. This is usually done right after removing the tooth to avoid a subsequent procedure later on. Afterward, the gums are returned to their rightful place covering the socket and are then sutured. Our team might determine it’s necessary to make use of a product to restore the width and height of the empty socket left behind by bone loss or the removed tooth, for new bone to grow. Once this socket is healed, we can prepare the alveolar ridge for placement of the dental implant.
Where Does the Bone Come From?
The required bone material can come from various sources. Our first option is to take a section of bone obtained from another part of your body: your chin, shin bone, or even the hip. This is known as an autograft. If we’re removing the skin from one of the first two sources, you will only need sedation and local anesthesia. However, if we need to use bone from your hip, you’d need to have surgery performed, under general anesthesia.
Your second option is called allograft. This means that bone graft will have to be harvested from a cadaver or another living human. Then you also have a third option: xenograft, where the bone is taken from animals, usually cows. The fourth and final option is called alloplast. This is synthetic bone that is developed in a lab.
Whichever method is used, bone graft is carefully processed and disinfected to make sure that no diseases nor bacteria are transferred together with the bone. Both synthetic and harvested bone graft can be kept in our dental office and will be used for your augmentation procedure.
To get more information about ridge augmentation and determine if you need it, call the experienced professionals here at at (623) 263-5042 today! We look forward to hearing from you.
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