ADVANCED DENTAL IMPLANT PROCEDURES – VIRGINIA BEACH, VA
PROVIDING SUPPORT YOU NEED FOR AN IMPROVED SMILE
When teeth are missing, it isn’t easy hearing that dental implants are not a possibility. What you hoped would be the ideal solution to restore your smile now seems out of reach. If you are experiencing this situation, you can find hope with Lakeshore Dental’s advanced dental implant procedures. Whether it is a sinus lift or a bone graft, you can still have a permanent, stable, and fully functional smile that only dental implants can provide. If you want to learn more or find out how you can move forward with an advanced procedure, contact us to schedule an appointment with Dr. Patel.
Bone Grafting
If a patient is missing teeth on the bottom arch of their mouth, a bone graft for implants will be necessary. The process will require one of our highly skilled dentists to use bone minerals and place them in the weakened areas of your jawbone. Depending on the number of implants you’ll need, it may take placing bone minerals in more than one area of your jaw.
The type of minerals used will be dependent on your preference as well as the recommendation and accessibility our dentists have to additional materials, including:
- Dentin graft
- Animal bone, such as a pig or cow
- Human bone, such as bone that is removed from another area of your body or bank bone
The timeline for this type of procedure will require that you spend several months recovering. Once you’re fully healed, you and Dr. Patel can begin to discuss dental implant placement.
If you’re wondering why the bone is so significant, it is because it serves as the foundation for your dental implants. Without a strong base, your implant can shift, become loose, and eventually, fail.
Sinus Lifts
If the lower arch is fine but the top arch is problematic, this is when a sinus lift can most benefit a patient. If a tooth needs to be extracted, it is highly likely that there will be little bone left, making it hard to place an implant. Not to mention that your maxillary sinuses are located immediately behind your cheeks and above your upper teeth.
What is left is a hollowed area that will require additional bone minerals in order to create the necessary foundation for dental implants to be placed. Our dentists can use the same technique to place the bone material, in addition to lifting the sinuses. This will not only encourage the bone to grow into the floor of your sinuses, but it will also give you the support you’ll need for implant placement.