With so many advancements in the dental industry, there are very few reasons not to have procedures done to replace missing teeth. Even if you have bone loss issues, dentists have procedures that can help strengthen and replace it. Understanding the cost of a dental implant bone graft procedure in the UK better helps you to prepare.
What is a Bone Graft?
A bone graft involves replacing weak or lost bone with artificial or animal bone or bone from a cadaver or the patient’s body. The procedure sounds frightening, but surgeons regularly do bone grafts and can help you with any questions and concerns.
Surgeons often rely on general anesthetic, so patients feel no pain during the bone graft procedure. When a tooth is removed, there is usually a hole in the bone that needs to be filled. Bone grafts accomplish this goal, especially if the bone is too thin or is not tall enough to hold the implant’s titanium screw.
Dentists use x-rays or CT scans to determine if patients need a bone graft procedure. Occasionally, dentists can implant the new tooth right after the bone graft surgery, but typically, patients have to wait at least six months before the dentist will place the new tooth in the new bone.
How Much Does A Bone Graft Procedure Cost?
Like most medical processes, dental implant bone graft procedure costs in the UK vary for several reasons. They can often range between £295 and £2,400 per site based on the type of bone graft and the complexity of the procedure. Your dental office can give you an estimate based on your needs.
Why Patients Need Bone Grafts
The number-one reason why people need bone graft surgery is because of bone loss in their jaw. But, bone loss happens for several reasons. A common reason is gum disease, which can cause the jaw bone to deteriorate as the gums break down. With periodontal disease, both the gums and jaw bone can degrade rapidly, causing teeth to fall out.
Patients might need bone grafts to replace bone after a dentist extracts a tooth. Injuries and infection can also cause the bone to deteriorate in the jaw. Bone loss due to infection tends to happen slowly, while impacts to the mouth can rapidly affect the jaw bone. Some people also have issues with osteoporosis and bone density that requires bone graft procedures.
Benefits of Bone Grafting
Despite the cost, there are several benefits of bone grafting. The first is that patients can have a tooth replaced with a dental implant, even if they have lost much of their bone tissue. After having a bone graft procedure, the quality of the bone tissue in the jaw improves.
Bone graft procedures can sound frightening to some people, but the simple procedure has long-lasting results that can improve the patient’s quality of life and appearance.