I have been informed that in areas of my jaw where I will be having teeth removed, there would be benefit to the support of conventional dental prosthetics for the anchorage of dental implants if simultaneous bone augmentation is performed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROCEDURE: After anesthetics have numbed the area to be operated, the gum is reflected from the jaw bone surface, teeth are removed, the extraction sites are cleansed of any infected tissue, the graft material placed into the extraction sockets and on the surface of the bone and then a Guided Tissue Barrier Membrane may be placed over the grafted bone area to prevent gum skin cells from entering the wound and stopping bone regeneration and to aid in the retention of the bone graft. Finally, the gum is sutured back around the teeth and/or together.
DESCRIPTION OF THE GRAFT MATERIAL: Bone tissue harvested from other areas of your mouth. Demineralized Bone Allograft- this is human bone tissue donated by the next of kin of deceased persons. All donors are screened by physicians and other health care workers to prevent the transmission of disease to the person receiving the graft. They are tested for hepatitis, syphilis, blood and tissue infections, and the AIDS virus. Tissue is recovered and processed under sterile conditions. Processing includes the demineralization of the bone and its preservation by the process of freeze-drying. In addition, bone processed similar to the above descriptions after harvesting from bovine sources can be used as well as artificial bone-like substances.
RISKS RELATED TO THE PROCEDURE: Risks related to surgery with extraction and ridge bony regeneration by the use of bone grafts might include, but are not limited to: fracture of the tooth/teeth during extraction, retention of part of a root or roots, dislodging of a tooth or part of a tooth into the upper jaw sinus, post-surgical infection, bleeding, swelling, pain, facial discoloration, transient but on occasion permanent numbness of the lip, tongue, teeth, chin, or gum, jaw joint injuries or associated muscle spasms, transient or on occasion permanent increased tooth looseness, tooth sensitivity to hot or cold or sweets or acidic foods, shrinkage of the gum upon healing (which could result in elongation of and/or greater spaces between some teeth). Risks related to the anesthetics might include, but are not limited to, allergic reactions, accidental swallowing of foreign matter, facial swelling, bruising, pain or soreness or discoloration at the site of injection of anesthetics.
ALTERNATIVES TO THE PROCEDURE: These may include: (1) No treatment, with the expectation of the advancement of my condition resulting in greater risk or complications including, but not limited to, bone loss, pain, infection, and possible damage to the support of adjacent teeth, a less than satisfactory dental prosthetic result (2) Building up the ridge with soft tissue grafting which would not increase the possibility of using dental implants. (3) Extending the depth of the cheek pouch by surgery with or without the use of a soft tissue graft which would not increase the possibility of using dental implants or the esthetics or phonetics related to design of a fixed bridge.