Bone augmentation

The loss of single or multiple teeth is one of the reason for the occurrence of mandible or maxillary bone atrophy. Then, atrophy processes occur in the bone surrounding extracted teeth. Maxilla and mandible without a tooth remain unloaded functionally, do not take part in physiological functions, e.g. mastication. And – similarly to muscle tissue that is not used – atrophy, as unloaded bone always atrophies.

Other factors that cause bone loss include e.g. trauma, inflammation within the gums and bone caused by bacterial plaque (periodontitis).

When bone atrophy is significant, it is impossible to place even thin and short implants, as they would not be surrounded completely by bone, or we would run the risk of breaking thin bone plates due to masticatory forces on the implants.
Atrophy has negative influence on the shape of maxilla and mandible – the processes lead to a decrease in both maxillary and mandibular height and width. This affects the possibility of placing an implant, but not only this process is affected.

Bone atrophy is also problematic for patients who use removable dentures, as the shape of the base for the denture, i.e. the bone left after extraction, changes. The denture requires adjustments or even needs to be prepared once again in order to adjust it to the shape of the face. If atrophy is more pronounced, characteristic changes in facial contour occur – the lips and the cheeks become hollow, the mandible moves to the front, and the Patient looks a bit like „a witch”.

Unfortunately, implantation is not possible, or at least not immediately, in all patients, and one of the reasons for this occurrence is bone atrophy in the Patient.

Dental implants used for replacing missing teeth have been gaining popularity. Appropriate amount of bone tissue in which the implant is going to be placed is the condition that has to be met before implantation is performed. It may be the basic factor that conditions esthetic appearance of teeth and gums. Long-term stability of implants and teeth can be achieved only if there is appropriate amount of osseous tissue.

In Patients with significant bone loss in whom implantation is planned, bone regeneration is necessary. In such cases, procedures known as Guided Bone Regeneration are inevitable for further implantation planning. It is estimated that nowadays approximately 30-40% of all implantation procedures are possible due to advances in knowledge and clinical practice within the field of Guided Bone and Tissue Regeneration.

In simple words, Guided Bone and Tissue Regeneration make it possible to form a good quality bone tissue in the desired area, and this, in turn, makes it possible to place dental implants that constitute the abutment for a restoration later on, successfully.