With laser dentistry, we can manage issues like periodontal disease to keep your smile whole and healthy. But what if you have lost teeth and your jawbone has weakened as a result? Then with dental lasers and jawbone grafting, we can help strengthen your jaw! In today’s blog, your Encinitas/San Diego, CA, periodontist talks about our ridge augmentation procedure!

Tooth Loss and a Weakened Jaw

We offer periodontic care to manage issues like gum disease, so you can avoid the periodontitis stage, which can cause adult tooth loss. When you lose natural teeth, the body will no longer supply doses of calcium and phosphorus to the area around the missing root. Without these nutrients, the jawbone loses mass and density, weakening it to cause further tooth loss and eventually, an older appearance. Which could mean your bite may not be able to support dental implants to address your missing teeth! However, our team can also offer laser-assisted jawbone grafting to help strengthen the area, allowing your smile to support tooth replacement.

Help With Dental Lasers

How do we assist with dental lasers? Well, we can use the technology to help remove diseased portions of the gums and destroy harmful bacteria, so healthy tissues can attach to the teeth and new dental implants. The disease is then at a more manageable stage, and can be addressed with routine cleanings and better homecare habits. We also employ the lasers to make any necessary adjustments to the gums or destroying connective tissues and bone structure to ensure the grafting is a success and to help facilitate a successful dental implant placement. The lasers can target areas with precision, prevent damage to healthy structures, and reduce the risk of bleeding, infection, and swelling. The technology also rarely even requires anesthesia, as it is a comfortable and precise alternative to scalpels and sutures.

The Jawbone Grafting Procedure

With the grafting procedure we will add new structure to the lower jaw in the form of bone taken from other parts of your own body, or from donor or synthetic sources. This bonds with the lower portion to fortify it and create a new base that can support dental implants. When the area heals and we can add dental implants, these act as new roots to ensure the flow of nutrients resumes, so your jaw remains intact and your new teeth have the potential to last for decades to come.

If you have any questions about ridge augmentation, then contact our team today.

Schedule Your Appointment for a Ridge Augmentation

We want to help you enjoy good oral health, which means managing gum disease and ensuring your smile can support new teeth. To learn more about preparing your smile for dental implants, call Dr. Ann Kania in Encinitas, CA, today at 760-642-0711.