Guided Bone Regeneration (GBR) is an advanced dental procedure designed to rebuild and regenerate bone in areas where it’s been lost or damaged. When bone loss occurs due to injury, infection, or the absence of teeth, it can impact both the function and appearance of your smile. GBR helps restore the natural shape and strength of your jawbone. It creates a solid foundation for dental implants and improves your overall oral health.
Bone grafting plays a key role in GBR by supporting new bone growth and long-term stability. Oral Facial Surgery of Delaware is your local oral surgical resource for rebuilding your smile with the latest treatments and techniques. We offer GBR as a treatment option to maintain your oral health over the long term. Our team is here to prevent problems like tooth migration, bite problems, and further tooth loss.
What is Guided Bone Regeneration?
Guided Bone Regeneration is a technique that uses a combination of bone grafts and membranes to stimulate new bone growth in areas with insufficient bone volume. The procedure uses a special membrane to guide the regeneration process by preventing unwanted tissue from entering the graft site. This allows the bone graft to heal and form new bone, which eventually integrates with the surrounding bone. The materials used in GBR typically consist of:
- Bone Graft Material: Bone grafts are used to fill the space where bone has been lost. This graft can come from the patient’s own body (autograft), a donor (allograft), or synthetic sources (xenograft or alloplastic materials). These materials encourage the growth of new bone in the treated area.
- Membranes: Special membranes are placed over the graft to create a barrier that protects the bone from surrounding tissues, such as gum tissue. These membranes prevent soft tissue from interfering with bone regeneration, allowing for the controlled growth of new bone.
The goal of GBR is to encourage the body’s natural healing process, using these materials to rebuild bone in areas where its been lost or damaged. Over time, the body integrates the grafted material into the natural bone. Your bone will fully heal and become stable enough to support dental implants.
Why Would a Patient Need Guided Bone Regeneration?
A patient may need GBR for several reasons. Bone loss in the jaw can occur for many reasons:
- Tooth Loss: When a tooth is lost and not replaced, the underlying bone begins to shrink over time. This is common when teeth have been missing for a long period. You can experience a significant reduction in bone volume after years of missing teeth.
- Periodontal Disease: Gum disease can damage the bone surrounding your teeth and cause it to deteriorate. In severe cases, the bone loss can make it hard to restore teeth with implants or bridges. We can treat your gum disease and regenerate your bone so you can replace lost teeth.
- Injury or Trauma: Accidents or trauma to the face and jaw can result in bone fractures or significant bone loss. GBR is a great option to repair damage and restore bone in the affected area.
- Failed Dental Implants: In some cases, dental implants may fail due to insufficient bone to support them. We may recommend GBR to regenerate the bone. After you have sufficient healthy bone, you can get a successful reimplantation.
- Congenital Defects: Some patients are born with insufficient bone or underdeveloped jaw structures. GBR helps to rebuild the bone. It also helps support future dental treatments like implants.
GBR is often performed as a preparatory procedure for dental implants. Without enough healthy bone, dental implants may fail or become unstable. GBR restores bone to provide the necessary foundation for successful implant placement.
Most patients feel little to no pain during the procedure because it is done under local anesthesia, which numbs the area. After the procedure, it’s normal to experience some swelling, mild soreness, or tenderness around the surgical site.
We’ll provide you with instructions to help manage any discomfort, which may include taking pain medication, using ice packs, and eating soft foods. Most patients find that these steps make healing much more comfortable. The pain usually improves within a few days. As the bone begins to heal, you should feel little to no discomfort.
Healing After Guided Bone Regeneration
The healing process after GBR is important and can take several months. Dr. Campbell will work with you to ensure you feel comfortable as you heal. You’ll notice different stages after treatment.
Directly After Treatment
You may notice mild swelling, tenderness, or slight bleeding. This is normal as your body begins to repair the area. Your oral surgeon will give you specific instructions for care. You may need to take prescribed medication, use ice packs to reduce swelling, and eat soft foods for the first few days. Following these directions closely helps protect the graft and encourages proper healing.
After Several Weeks
As the weeks go by, the bone graft material begins to fuse with your natural bone. This process is called osseointegration. Healing is what makes the bone stronger and stable enough to support dental implants later.
You want to avoid disturbing the graft site at this time. Don’t smoke, use straws, or put pressure on the area because these habits can slow down healing or interfere with bone growth.
After Several Months
We’ll schedule follow-up visits to monitor your progress. In most cases, it takes about four to six months for the new bone to fully heal and integrate. But healing times can vary depending on the size of the graft and your overall health. Once healing is complete, the regenerated bone will provide a solid foundation for dental implants or other restorative treatments. you achieve a healthy and functional smile.
Schedule an Appointment
Do you need to prepare for implant treatment? Get guided bone regeneration in Wilmington, DE. Call our office today at 302-335-6123. You can also request an appointment with us online. Let us know if you have questions about treatment. We’re here to help you get the best care possible.