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Bone Regeneration After Gum Disease

Periodontal disease(“periodontitis” or “gum disease”) is the leading cause of bone loss in the oral cavity. Data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) show that 47% of adults over 30 years old in the United States have gum disease. Periodontitis is the progressive destruction of support bone around teeth. It is typically triggered by plaque and tarter(calculus) in people’s mouths but can be accelerated by immune system impairments or environmental factors. Environmental factors that accelerate bone loss include smoking, clenching/grinding, and acid reflux or acidic beverages. Each patient is unique in their susceptibility to periodontitis and so their habits may need to be modified to prevent further breakdown in addition to our treatment.

This supporting bone will not come back on its own or with oral hygiene (brushing/flossing) improvement. Regenerative therapy with our Aurora or Littleton, Colorado team can be performed to restore bone growth.

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Common Techniques To Regenerate Bone Around Teeth

Bone Grafting

The bone grafting procedure is an excellent way to replace lost bone tissue and encourage natural bone growth. After the teeth are cleaned and the infected tissue is removed, bone graft powder is placed around the teeth to regenerate the supporting bone. A bone graft is a versatile procedure which can be used to save teeth as well as establish sufficient bone for dental implants if teeth are lost (see below).

There are several types of dental bone grafts. The following are the most common:

Autogenous bone graft

In this type of graft, the bone is removed from elsewhere in the body and implanted in the mouth. While this is infrequently used in periodontics, it can be added to allograft or xenograft to improve the amount of natural bone.

Allograft

Bone can be obtained from a bone bank (cadaver bone), which when placed stimulates the body to form new bone. This is the most common type of bone graft used in periodontics.

Xenograft

This is the implantation of bovine (cow), equine (horse), or porcine (pig) bone. A xenograft is perfectly safe and has been used successfully for many years. Just like the allograft, it stimulates the body to form new bone but has other properties that are beneficial in certain circumstances.

Laser Periodontal Therapy

Supporting bone can also be regenerated using a Nd:YAG laser. This is a specialized laser technique that has become popular in the last few years and offers the chance to regenerate bone without stitches or incisions. Each case is different so choosing the appropriate regenerative therapy would be discussed with you in person during an appointment with our bone regeneration Aurora / Littleton team.

Bone Grafting for Dental Implants:

Implants are the preferred replacement method for missing teeth because they function like real teeth. However, implants need to be firmly anchored to the jawbone in order to be effective. If the jawbone lacks the necessary quality or quantity of bone, bone grafting can strengthen and thicken the implant site prior to placing the implant.

Bone Grafting for Dental Implants:

Sinus Lift

Most patients who need implants in the back upper jaw need some kind of sinus lift. A sinus lift is a routine procedure that entails elevating the sinus membrane and grafting bone between the sinus membrane and sinus floor. The purpose is to develop more bone in the bottom part of the sinus cavity area.

Ridge Augmentation

When teeth are lost, the jawbone will shrink (atrophy). Implants require bone to surround them in order to have long-term success. Thus, we use a ridge augmentation procedure to widen the bone to fully support future implants.

Additional Techniques to Aid the Bone Regeneration Process:

Membranes

A thin dissolvable barrier (membrane) is placed over the grafting material to help guide the bone development. This barrier blocks certain tissues so that the correct stem cells grow into the bone graft to specifically develop bone and not gum tissue.

Platelet-rich Growth Factors

Platelets release growth factors when they are activated by an injury in order to speed the healing process. A high platelet concentration can be used to create a blood clot with the bone graft to lower the risk of infection and this can accelerate healing. We can concentrate platelet-rich growth factors from your own blood (platelet-rich fibrin (PRF)) or from a purchased solution of platelet-rich growth factor (Gem-21S®).

Amelogenins

Emdogain® is a gel of amelogenins which stimulates regeneration around teeth and speeds the healing process with soft tissue procedures.

Bone Morphogenic Protein

Bone morphogenic protein (BMP-2 or Infuse®) is a product that can be used with bone grafting to help form bone when there is a severe loss of jawbone.

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Bone Regeneration in Aurora / Littleton, CO

For more information about regenerating lost jawbone, the team at Periodontal Associates invites you to schedule a visit. Call (303) 755-4500 or request an appointment online.

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Or call — 303-755-4500

Ray V.
Dr. Heller is the best! I continue to see him after gum surgery a year ago.
He is very good at what he does while having a casual 'all is good'...
Ellen Z.
Periodontal Associates is a great practice...I love my hygienist Michelle, as she is super thorough and takes the time to point out areas that might need...
Denise G.
My husband and I both recommend Dr. Heller and the team at Periodontal Associates. We have each had two rounds of gum grafts with excellent outcomes. The...