21 Aug Bone Graft: What It Is & How It will help your teeth (Singapore)

Dental implants are increasingly common nowadays but they may not be suitable for all. Some people may not have enough bone density to support the implant and as a result, look towards bone grafts as a pre-implant procedure.

Read this article to find out more about getting a bone graft in Singapore (how it will help your teeth, costs and more!)

What is bone grafting and how it is done

It is a minor surgical procedure grafting material is added to facilitate bone growth. Firstly, an incision will be made to your gums to expose the bone beneath it.

Next, grafting material and a collagen membrane are then added under the gum at the bone area. The collagen member is used to cover the bone graft to protect it from your tongue and saliva. Finally, sutures are placed to secure everything in place. 

Will getting a bone graft hurt?

Local anaesthesia will be administered to numb the area before any incision is made. This ensures that the patient does not feel any pain and is comfortable throughout the process. 

Bone Graft Recovery

While the bone grafting procedure is a straightforward one, the recovery process is one that may take quite some time.

After the procedure, your dentist will prescribe the relevant antibiotics and painkillers to help facilitate your recovery process. Healing is expected to take at least 4 months as the bone needs time to grow.

How can a bone graft help your teeth?

• Success of Dental Implants: Getting a bone graft is a dental procedure adopted when there is not enough jaw bone to complete a dental implant. The success of a dental implant depends on the strength and health of the bones surrounding the implant. Getting a bone graft can aid the regeneration of jaw bones to increase the likelihood of a successful dental implant. 
• Saving Teeth: Severe periodontal disease (also known as gum disease) can also cause a significant reduction in bone density. This results in the loosening of teeth which is not ideal. Bone grafts will regenerate jaw bones and help develop good bone support to maintain a beautiful smile. This can ultimately help you maintain good oral health so that your teeth can last till your age years. (No one wants to be wearing dentures!!)

Success Rates of Bone Graft Procedures

The success rates of dental bone grafts are pretty high and stand at above 84% on average (M Clementini, 2012). However, this suggests that there exists a slight chance of rejection. In the scenario where your bone graft fails, it needs to be removed and you can opt for a second graft.

Costs of getting a Bone Graft Singapore

The costs will vary depending on the type of bone graft you opt for as well as the clinic you visit. Some of the different types include allograft, autograft, xenograft and synthetic grafting.

On average prices of bone grafts have been estimated to range from $800-$2000. While this is indeed costly, most find the long-term benefits of good oral health after bone grafting to outweigh these short-term costs.  

We hope you learnt more about getting Bone Grafts in Singapore…

Here at Vivid Dental Surgeons, we aim to educate our patients on matters regarding oral hygiene and health. We hope that this article gave you clarity regarding the topic of getting a bone graft.

If you are still unsure about the procedure, be sure to voice out your concerns to your dentist. Only by exercising good communication will you be able to receive the most optimal treatment. Should you have any more questions regarding the bone graft treatments or other oral health-related matters, feel free to drop Dr Ryan a message here. 

If you enjoyed this article, be sure to leave us a like and comment! You can also click here to read other oral health-related articles posted on our blog. We upload new dental blog posts every 2-3 days so be sure to check those out!

Dr Ryan and the Vivid Dental Team wish everyone a pleasant day ahead!