What If I Have a Thin Jawbone But Need a Dental Implant?

If you want a replacement tooth that will look, feel, and function just like a natural tooth, your best bet is a dental implant. Because this tooth is firmly anchored in your jaw, there’s no learning curve to talking or eating with it. Better still, when properly maintained, a dental implant has the potential to last your lifetime.

To be a candidate for this kind of replacement tooth, you need to meet certain parameters. Specifically, your jawbone needs to be strong enough to support the implant. 

If you have a thin jawbone, our team can first address that to set you up for success. As a specialist in dental implants, Gemini Master-Patel, DMD, can evaluate your jaw and see what it needs. If we need to strengthen your jaw before your dental implant, she guides you through the process from one of our Riverside Dental offices in Yonkers or Thornwood, New York.

Why your jawbone matters for a dental implant

To understand why a thin jawbone needs care before a dental implant, it helps to understand how this kind of replacement tooth works.

Dental implants have roots like your natural teeth. In this case, though, the “root” is a small titanium post. Getting an implant is a multi-step process, the first of which is implanting the post into your jawbone.

You then wait for your jaw to heal around the post, stabilizing it. This process is called osseointegration. Once it’s complete, Dr. Master-Patel mounts your custom-shaped, color-matched replacement tooth to the post. You leave with a restored, natural-looking smile. 

If your jawbone is too thin or has decay, though, it might not provide a sufficiently firm foundation for the post. Fortunately, there’s a way to build up your jawbone so you can still get an implant. 

Understanding bone grafting

Bone grafting encourages your body to use its natural processes to create more bone in the area of the graft.

The process begins when Dr. Master-Patel makes a small incision in the socket where your dental implant will go. She then deposits the grafting material. This acts as a scaffolding your body uses to make more bone tissue there.

After a successful bone graft, your jawbone should be thick enough to support a dental implant. 

The bone grafting process is fairly minor, and you shouldn’t have any serious discomfort afterward. A little tenderness is normal, but most people can manage it with over-the-counter pain relievers. 

If you want a dental implant but your jaw isn’t currently up to the task, schedule a consultation with Dr. Master-Patel to discuss bone grafting. Call our Riverside Dental office nearest you or book online today.