If your oral surgeon recommends a bone graft after removing your wisdom teeth, you may be wondering why and whether it’s something you truly need. The good news is that bone grafting is a common procedure that helps protect your long-term oral health and preserve the strength of your jawbone.
At our Cincinnati oral surgery, we believe patients feel more comfortable when they understand exactly what’s happening during their treatment and why they require certain procedures. Here’s what you need to know about bone grafting, and why we might recommend it after pulling your wisdom teeth.
What is a Dental Bone Graft?
A bone graft is a procedure used to replace or preserve bone in the jaw after a tooth extraction. During the procedure, your oral surgeon places grafting material into the area where the tooth was removed. Over time, your body naturally integrates the material and creates new bone growth.
The term ‘bone graft’ sounds a little scary, we get it. However, the procedure itself is often straightforward and performed at the same time as your wisdom teeth extraction.
Why Might You Need a Bone Graft After Wisdom Tooth Removal?
Not every wisdom tooth extraction requires bone grafting. In fact, it’s quite a rare case, and you’re more likely to need a bone graft if you’re getting dental implants. However, there are some situations when a wisdom tooth bone graft may be required, such as if:
- A wisdom tooth has damaged the surrounding bone.
- There is significant bone loss around the tooth.
- The extraction leaves a large, empty space.
- Infection has weakened the jawbone.
- Dental implants may be required in the future.
- The jaw structure needs added support.
In most wisdom tooth extraction cases, your jawbone will heal and fill in the socket naturally over the next few months. However, in cases like the above, where your wisdom tooth was impacted or deeply embedded, a bone graft can act as a scaffold or support that allows your body to grow new bone exactly where it is needed.
Is Bone Grafting Painful?
One of the most common questions we get from patients is whether a bone graft will make recovery more uncomfortable and painful. Fortunately, this isn’t the case, and most patients report that the recovery feels very similar to that following a standard wisdom tooth removal surgery.
You may experience mild swelling, slight soreness, or temporary tenderness near the surgical site, but your oral surgeon will provide you with a detailed set of post-op instructions to help you stay comfortable and pain-free during healing.
And of course, the process of bone grafting itself isn’t something you’re going to feel when it’s performed, since wisdom tooth surgery is done under sedation.
Talk to an Oral Surgeon About Your Wisdom Teeth
Even if they aren’t giving you any trouble yet, it’s a good idea to let your local oral surgeon take a look at your wisdom teeth and monitor them regularly. Your wisdom teeth can start to impact the surrounding molars over time, and a scan of your mouth by a Greater Cincinnati area oral surgery practice like ours can help your oral surgery team predict whether they’re going to cause you problems in the future.
Learning that you may need a bone graft to recover properly from your wisdom tooth removal can feel overwhelming, but don’t worry. The procedure isn’t complicated, and it’s being done to prevent greater problems in the future.
