Regeneration Did you know that among Americans, gum disease causes more bone resorption, or loss, than any other condition? Gum disease also causes the loss of more permanent teeth than any other condition, as the jawbone is weakened, and teeth have nothing to anchor them. In other words, the effects of gum disease on facial bones can be absolutely devastating. That is why Florida Smiles Dental is proud to be on the forefront of regeneration technology, which is helping thousands of patients restore bone that has deteriorated because of gum disease. Understanding RegenerationRegeneration is really an umbrella term for a group of different but associated techniques that all do the same thing - regenerate bone. The oldest and most common methods of regeneration are what we call bone grafting. Bone grafting has been used for years with a fantastic record of success. We take a sample of bone that we use as a “framework” of sorts to trick your body into using it to grow brand new bone. A newer approach is called guided tissue regeneration. This is especially effective at treating gum disease as it can do something conventional bone grafting cannot - grow both the soft tissues of your gums and the bone at the same exact time. This is done by inserting a special membrane that separates the gums and bone. How Regeneration Can Benefit YouRegeneration can benefit any patient that has lost bone in their face, even if you have never had gum disease. Bone will often diminish as a part of age or as the result of teeth that have been lost and not replaced, so regeneration is not limited to patients with gum disease. Regeneration can make a dramatic difference to patients that have lost bone in their faces. After a successful regeneration treatment, they will look younger, have stronger teeth, be able to eat more foods, and will be a viable candidate to receive dental implants for any teeth that may have been lost from gum disease. What Is a Regeneration Treatment Like?Because there are different kinds of regeneration treatments, your experience will depend on the kind you choose. Bone grafting is straightforward, and simply adds new bone beneath the gums. It can take many months for the new bone to be completely integrated, though the initial healing process will be much, much faster. Guided tissue regeneration is somewhat similar. A surgical procedure is performed to expose the damaged bone beneath the gums. Instead of inserting the bone graft material, we insert a membrane so that your bone can actually regrow itself. It takes a similar amount of time for new bone to grow as with bone grafting. Do You Need Regeneration?Chances are if you have gum disease, or in the past have had gum disease that required professional treatment to eliminate, then you have experienced a deterioration of bone mass and volume. Regeneration techniques may be able to help reverse this deterioration. To see if you are a candidate, call 754-354-0363 and see what our skilled periodontists here at Florida Smiles Dental can do for you. |
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