Dental bone grafting is a safe long-term solution when a person with good general health loses a tooth due to periodontal infections and injury. We commonly use dental implants with bone grafts for excellent results. The grafting procedure replaces and helps the lost bone regenerate naturally. In addition, a bone graft restores facial contour, especially after the loss of teeth as a result of trauma, rotting, and injury. When used with dental implants, a boen graft creates a solid base for the implants to hold into.
Bone grafting entails removing a piece of a healthy bone (boen graft) from part of the patients’ jaw or the rest of the body and transplanting it into the jaw bones (maxilla and mandible). Alternatively, we also obtain bone grafts from cadavers and animals. A single visit to the doctor for surgery is one of the many advantages of animatic and cadaveric bone grafting. After grafting, the boen graft may take several months to grow into a size large enough to support the placement of a graft.
After your jaw bone heals, the implant process goes on. It starts with placing a titanium dental implant post into your jaw, after which you will need some months to recover. Following successful healing, a periodontist will insert an extension of the implant into your jaw. Subsequently, your soft tissues will need some time to heal. The last step involves taking teeth molds and insertion of the final tooth.
Although bone grafts consume a lot of time and maybe resources, they are necessary for dental transplants. However, the procedure also has limitations; you can have discomfort, gum swelling, bruising, and minor blood loss. Furthermore, your surgeon will restrict some foods while your mouth heals after each procedure in the process.
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Under What Circumstances Does One Need a Bone Graft?
The unavailability of dental bones makes the placement of bone graft for dental implant challenging and unpredictable. Before undergoing a bone graft for dental implant, one must have an adequate dental bone for easy placement, function, and acceptable prosthesis. Fortunately, with transplantation surgery, we can regenerate bones in areas of deficiencies before implantation. We can acquire bone grafts from jawbones or any other bone.
The boen graft technique is the most crucial component for any dental surgeon. With appropriate techniques and relevant materials, clinicians can prepare grafting sites and insert bone grafts with excellent results.
The role of dental boen graft is to replace missing or damaged jawbones. This can be as a result of gummy spaces after tooth extraction or gum disease. In such circumstances, you will need grafting to support dental implants. In addition, if there is excessive space, the remaining teeth can loosen and fall off with time; therefore, it is prudent to fill any unnecessary dental holes with a boen graft.
A bone graft will also help you regain your original facial contours; thus, dental Grafting is a way of restoring the aesthetic value of your face.
For instance, if you lose a tooth today, you will lose around 25% of jaw width in the first year. If appropriate, timely interventions are not made, there will not be enough bone tissue to hold implants. Once you lose dental bone mass, the only way out is a bone graft. Bone grafts are also crucial in the management of dental trauma and dental bone diseases. Constant grinding and clenching of teeth can lead to wear and tear of supportive tissue or lead to tooth cracks that are hard to heal. Bone grafts are usually inevitable in such a case.
Types of Dental Bone Grafts
Autograft
When using autografts, surgeons remove a piece of bone from the patient’s own body, primarily from the hard palate or chin. If bone tissues are inadequate in these two areas, we can still obtain grafts from any part of the body. Although we do create a second surgical site, the risk of graft rejection is low.
Allograft
We harvest allografts from deceased donors. Before placing an allograft, we must ascertain that the donor was healthy. In addition, we treat all grafts to enhance compatibility. Unfortunately, allografts have a high risk of rejection since they are non-self.
Alloplast
The other type of graft for patients requiring dental implants is the alloplastic graft. It is an artificial graft sourced from minerals. The advantage of allografts is that they have minimal risk of infections. Moreover, it accelerates bone regeneration.
Xenograft
Sometimes doctors obtain the parts from cows and pigs. These grafts from animals are called xenografts.
Xenografts offer fantastic support at the dental implant site as the jaw heals and regenerates to replace the lost bone tissues. They are thoroughly processed and only leave behind mineral components that rarely cause allergic reactions.
Dental Bone Graft Procedure Cost
One question that trouble interested people is “how much does bone graft and implant cost.”
When preparing to have a dental implant, doctors usually do a thorough evaluation to establish whether you need a graft or not. Boen graft cost varies depending on several factors, such as patient needs and the condition of the jaw bone. A simple boen graft costs between $300-800 for a single implant area. However there is no clear cut on how much does a bone graft and implant cost.
If you are using an autograft average, you must be admitted to harvest the bone. In addition, you must hire an anesthesiologist, which further increases the cost. The longer your hospital stay, the higher the final cost. In total, such surgical procedures need $2500 to $3500. You also have to pay for blood investigations and imaging such as x-rays, CT scans, and other relevant imaging procedures. You may also need blood count, blood chemistry studies, bone chemistry, liver function test, kidney function test, including many more services. Suppose all these are carried out, dental grafting procedure costs may be unfriendly to most patients. Thus, we order the relevant studies.
The average cost of a dental bone graft still depends on the type of graft you choose. Autografts are generally more expensive in comparison to cadaveric grafts. This is because they need a second surgical site that requires active management for a full recovery. If you need to establish how much a bone graft and implant cost, then look into the source of the graft, the condition of the jaw bone, the cost of hiring an anesthesiologist, a dentist, and an orthopedic surgeon.
The average cost of dental bone graft procedure varies due to five factors;
- Location of the tooth- different teeth needs a different approach, the way surgeons approach the front teeth is not similar to how he does with the molars and premolars
- The number of replacements required- the higher the no of grafts you will need to fill the gaps, the higher the cost, and vice versa. The number of replacements you require depends on mouth configuration and the condition of teeth and gums
- Is there a need for extractions- suppose you have a tooth that needs replacement but hasn’t fallen and you feel it must be extracted, the procedure is different from the rest, and you must pay for the service
- Oral health- before doing Grafting, oral hygiene has to be optimized. If you have gum disease, doctors have to make timely treatment before any grafting procedure
- Bone density- low jaw bone density doesn’t rule out boen grafts and dental implantation, but you have to prepare the mouth to receive the graft and implant. Oral preparation will attract more costs besides the procedure
The type and number of investigations also determine the final dental bone graft procedure cost.
Break Down on Average Bone Graft Cost
- A simple sterile boen graft from a cadaver, cow or synthetic boen graft goes for $200- $1200 for a single implant area
- A bone graft from a patient’s body, typically from the chin, lower jaw, hip, or shin, costs $2000-$3000 or more. The patient will need hospital admission in addition to hiring an orthopedic surgeon and anesthetist
- Before grafting, you will need panoramic (full mouth X-rays) or a Computed tomography scan (CT). A CT scan will cost between $250- $1000 or more, while a full mouth X-ray will cost $60-250
The cost of dental grafting varies from state to state. For instance, bone graft cost in Los Angeles is $100-$1500.
is bone grafting covered by insurance?
Dental implants with bone grafting are the most sought-after procedures due to their high success and unmatched benefits. Unfortunately, dental implantation with Grafting is costly, and most people may not afford it. Many people usually wonder if insurance can cater to the dental bone graft cost. There is no clear-cut answer for bone graft cost. However, some insurance companies cover part of the cost while others don’t.
Dental Insurance firms primarily cover preventive procedures, and very few can take care of reactive and cosmetic procedure costs. However, this doesn’t imply the dental implants won’t be catered for. Your insurance company will need you to break the entire procedure into distinct stages. With our experience, we hardly find an insurance company covering the total cost of a bone graft for the dental implant. Most insurance companies cover a portion of each stage of the procedure.
Since tooth extraction is compulsory before inserting a dental implant, insurance companies consider it a basic procedure. As a result, they can cover up to 60-80 percent of the cost. Although Grafting is necessary to increase bone density after tooth extraction and subsequent dental implant placement, insurance companies do not pay for it since it isn’t the primary procedure.
The amount covered by insurance depends on the insurance firm and the type of insurance you have. It is hard to determine how much you will pay from your pocket but still, we can guide you through.
If the cause of bone loss was due to a non-dental medical condition, injury or accident, the dental bone graft cost is covered under the general insurance policy. Suppose the bone loss interferes with the patient’s ability to eat, and the doctors can’t fix it by other options; both general and dental insurance policies may cover the bone graft cost.
Is Dental Bone Grafting Worth the Money and Time?
Getting a bone graft, healing, having titanium placement, and waiting to integrate it into your jaw bone is costly and time-consuming. This has made many people wonder if this is worth it and what unique advantages it offers. Although bone grafting is a decision you will make on your own, here are some benefits you will enjoy once the process is complete.
- There is a reasonable maintenance cost compared to other options
- It doesn’t interfere with phonation (the way you speak)
- Dental grafting procedure minimizes the risk of additional bone loss
- It is a durable solution with permanent results
- Grafting restores the ability to enjoy all types of foods just like the rest of the people
- A successful bone grafting will not only impact your eating ability but will also restore your smile
- Dental Grafting feels natural
How Long Does It Take for a Dental Bone Graft to Heal?
The healing duration for oral boen grafts depends mainly on the type of graft. However, the following factors may also contribute.
- Age of the patient
- The immune status
- Orals hygiene
- The type of food you eat
In general, a socket preservation graft can receive an implant after four months. In most cases, socket preservation heals within 3-4 months after the procedure. On the other hand, a sinus augmentation will take between four to nine months. Augmentation takes a long time to heal due to its nature and size. You may need to have a CT scan or X-ray to help your doctor determine if you are ready to receive the implants.
A socket preservation soreness or pain lasts only two days and should not go beyond one week. To limit bone pain, avoid exercises during the first week. Of all the grafting procedures, ridge augmentation is the most painful, lasting up to two weeks. Due to differences in human’s and the body’s ability to handle pain, some people can experience more than usual pain. Always talk to your dentist to know the expectations based on the type of procedure.
In summary, dental Grafting is a worth trying procedure with a lot of aesthetic and lifestyle benefits. Feel free to reach us for queries and concerns regarding the cost, safety, insurance policies, or anything concerning Grafting.