A dentist with more than 30 years of experience, James A. Vito, DMD, has managed a practice in Wayne, Pennsylvania since 2001. His second private practice since receiving his certificate in periodontics in 1987, Dr. James A. Vito’s office offers restorative, cosmetic, and implant dentistry, and the DMD is a recognized expert in the latter.
Dental implants are installed to fill the gaps left by missing teeth with false teeth, creating a natural transition. While a bridge is often used to fill the space of a single tooth, implants may be needed when the gap is too wide to support the former method.
If an implant is not placed as soon as the tooth is removed or lost, the jaw bone can shrink due to natural bone resorption. In these cases, a bone graft is required prior to installing the implant, so the jaw has enough supportive bone. Bone grafts are a safe option for preparing the jaw for a new tooth.
Socket grafting may be carried out as soon as the tooth is removed. Bone grafting material is placed in the socket of the missing tooth, holding the space for the required four months of healing. When healed, the implant can be screwed into the grafting material, and the new tooth can be attached.
If nothing was done when the tooth was lost, a block of bone may be added to build up the jawbone again. Titanium screws hold the graft in place until it heals (typically four or five months), then the screws are removed and the implant installed. Alternately, a soft mix of “bone substitute” may be placed in the hole and covered with a membrane that helps regrow the bone needed for the implant.
