Georgetown Periodontics & Implant Dentistry

Ridge Augmentation

Ridge augmentation involves the placement of a bone graft into the empty socket of a missing tooth. This helps restore the natural shape of the gums and jawbone after a tooth extraction. Ridge augmentation is used to reestablish your jaw’s natural contour. Following a tooth extraction, the jawbone immediately begins to atrophy at that specific spot. The empty tooth socket will shrink in height and width. An indentation in the gums and jawbone will develop. When your tooth is missing, your bite pressure is no longer exerted on the jawbone in that specific spot. This lack of pressure and stimulation on the jawbone causes shrinkage of the bone.

It is crucial to see Georgetown Periodontics & Implant Dentistry to replace a tooth after it is lost so that the jawbone does not atrophy. If the jawbone has lost mass and deteriorated, we will recommend a ridge augmentation to halt and reverse this process.

Your compassionate team at Georgetown Periodontics & Implant Dentistry is wholly committed to providing you, your family, and every patient with comprehensive periodontal care that improves your oral health and daily function. We pride ourselves on offering a safe, comfortable, and relaxing environment to ensure all patients receive the personalized care and treatment that is expected and deserved. You will find us to excel in effective communication, both in listening and sharing examination objectives. With our initiative-taking engagement in the dental industry and the constant innovative technological improvements offered, each exam and corresponding treatment is completely personalized. Call Georgetown Periodontics & Implant Dentistry at 502-570-5700 with any questions or to make an appointment for a ridge augmentation evaluation.

The procedure is extremely beneficial for the placement of a dental implant. When the jawbone integrity is restored in width and height, this ensures the new implant has the stability for success. A ridge augmentation procedure might be necessary for aesthetic reasons, or it could be needed to hold an implant in place.

Are You a Candidate for a Ridge Augmentation?

Here are several examples of reasons to consider ridge augmentation:

  • A missing tooth, resulting in the deterioration of your jawbone.
  • Gum disease, which caused some soft tissue to deteriorate.
  • Developmental defects that prevented enough gum or bone tissue from forming in some areas.
  • Oral trauma, like a tooth that is impacted below the gumline.
  • Wearing dentures, which deteriorated the jawbone and affected the gums.

What Causes Jawbone Deterioration?

Your jawbone will begin to deteriorate immediately after the loss of a tooth. When there is a gap in your arch, your bite pressure changes, leaving the jawbone in that area unstimulated and unchallenged, causing it to weaken. It is extremely beneficial to replace a tooth before your jawbone atrophies too much. If your jawbone has lost mass and can no longer support an implant, a ridge augmentation will be needed to restore density and integrity.

A bone graft procedure restores a jawbone around the missing tooth. The ridge augmentation will need a few months to heal before an implant can be placed.

Ridge Augmentation Procedure

During your ridge augmentation procedure, Georgetown Periodontics & Implant Dentistry will place either soft gum tissue or bone tissue in the affected area. The ridge augmentation increases the bone or gum tissue for both functional and cosmetic purposes.

Once the bone regains more width or height, the dental implant will have sufficient stability in your jawbone. We may recommend the ridge augmentation procedure for your aesthetic concerns as well.

There are two kinds of ridge augmentation: soft tissue and hard tissue.

If we are conducting a soft tissue procedure, which is most often done for aesthetic reasons, we will numb the immediate area first. Georgetown Periodontics & Implant Dentistry will then make a small incision to expose the site. Next, we insert a soft tissue graft. We then close the site with sutures to begin the healing process.

If you are receiving a dental implant restoration, a hard tissue graft could be necessary. The immediate area will be numbed before the procedure begins. Then we make an incision and lift the gum away to reveal the jawbone. The bone grafting material the team at Georgetown Periodontics & Implant Dentistry uses will come from another area within your mouth or from another source. Once the bone graft is placed, we suture your gum tissue over the graft.

Recovering from Ridge Augmentation Surgery

Ridge augmentation will vary, but it could take some time to heal after your procedure. Georgetown Periodontics & Implant Dentistry will provide a recovery plan.

Following your ridge augmentation treatment, we will advise you to avoid all hard foods. It is also best to avoid sipping through a straw or smoking. It is also common to have trouble chewing and talking right after your ridge augmentation procedure.

Once you have finished a complete recovery, the best thing to do is to continue to practice good oral hygiene habits. Brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes each time and continue flossing regularly.

To complement your at-home care practices, you need to schedule regular and consistent checkups every six months. During these routine checkups, Georgetown Periodontics & Implant Dentistry will evaluate your oral health, conduct professional cleanings, and monitor your oral health, identifying issues before they develop.

Your Smile is Our Number One Priority

Our treatment philosophy at Georgetown Periodontics & Implant Dentistry is focused on patient education and the enhancement of your quality of life. We provide gentle, affordable, and painless periodontal care. We prioritize providing each patient with the information they need to make confident, informed decisions regarding their personal oral health treatment. Our experience is foundational in giving you restoratively minded periodontal treatment customized for your unique needs.

Our team specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of periodontal disease and in the placement of dental implants. We consider ourselves experts in the treatment of oral inflammation. We have received extensive education and training in these areas. We are familiar with the latest techniques for diagnosing and treating periodontal disease, and we are also trained in performing cosmetic periodontal procedures.

You can find Georgetown Periodontics & Implant Dentistry at:

107 Frazier Ct., 1D, Georgetown, KY

Or call us today at 502-570-5700