Do You Need a Dental Bone Graft for Mini Implants? [Video Q&A]

Bone loss is a common result of long-term tooth loss. If a dentist says you don’t have enough bone for dental implants without a dental bone graft, it doesn’t necessarily mean implants are off the table. Mini dental implants often work for patients who have experienced bone loss, often with no bone grafting needed!

Dr. Rose Magno’s practice is an Emeryville Mini Dental Implant Center of America, an elite network of dentists trained in the art of minimally invasive dental implants. She’s happy to help you determine whether mini implants can help you avoid bone grafting during an affordable consultation.

Why Some Patients Hear They Need a Dental Bone Graft for Dental Implants

It’s common for patients who have been missing teeth for many years to hear they need a dental bone graft for implants. But why is this the case?

Teeth do more to preserve the jawbone than most patients realize. The roots of the teeth are secured in the jaw. As a person chews, those roots communicate with the jawbone to keep it healthy and strong. Once you lose teeth, your jawbone misses out on this healthy stimulation, and your jaw starts to lose shape through a process called resorption.

Dental implants help prevent bone loss by serving as artificial tooth roots. However, once bone loss occurs, there may not be enough bone to support a conventional dental implant. In cases where a patient’s jawbone can’t hold a conventional implant, a dental bone graft can improve eligibility for implants.

How a Dental Bone Graft Works

How does bone grafting work? Depending on the procedure, a bone graft can preserve the extraction site or increase bone volume, such as ridge width and, in selected cases, height, to support planned implant placement. It acts as a scaffold, and your body gradually grows new bone into and around it. Dr. Magno places grafting material where additional bone volume is needed.

Some situations where Dr. Magno may use a dental bone graft are:

• Filling an extraction socket immediately after a tooth is removed.
• Rebuilding a narrowed area of the jaw, called ridge augmentation.
• Adding bone beneath the sinus in the upper back of the jaw, called a sinus lift.

Once the graft is placed, you’ll need to allow a healing period before you can proceed with implant treatment. This means that grafting can often add time and the cost of an additional surgical procedure to the restoration process. But there’s another path forward for patients dealing with bone loss: the mini dental implant.

How Mini Dental Implants Reduce the Need for Grafting

So how do mini implants reduce the need for bone grafting?

Mini dental implants are narrower than many conventional implants, sometimes measuring about half their width. Their narrower size means they fit into smaller jawbones, even after resorption. In many cases, patients can avoid grafting by opting for this smaller implant.

In what circumstances would mini dental implants still require bone grafting? One example is same-day dental implants. If Dr. Magno extracts a tooth, she might fill the resulting hole with grafting material to support healing and place an implant on the very same day. Immediately after, she can secure the mini implant in place. Another situation is in cases with very severe bone loss. She might still recommend bone grafting in these cases.

Dr. Magno will determine whether to use a CBCT scan, which provides a three-dimensional view of your jaw. She’ll be able to see the length and width of the jawbone. From there, she can explain your implant options and help you find a solution that fits your needs.

Learn More at an Affordable Consultation

If you’ve been told you need a bone graft, or that you don’t have enough bone for dental implants, that doesn’t mean you need to give up on replacing your teeth! Because mini dental implants are much narrower than conventional two-piece dental implants, they can fit into much narrower jawbones.

When Dr. Magno sees you at a consultation, she can explore the best options for you. Text or call 510-591-0091 to schedule a consultation today.