What is Dental Bone Grafting?

Posted on February 19, 2020January 21, 2020 by Dr. James Lalonde

When we think of the bones in our body, we obviously think of the skeleton as the framework that keeps us upright. We know these bones can change over time, explaining the growth process of the human body and diseases such as osteoporosis, and your jaw bone is no different! This is the bone that helps support your teeth.

There are many disease processes that can cause your jaw bone to resorb or break down, such as from periodontal disease. Bone resorption inside your mouth can cause many dental problems. Your facial appearance can be affected, causing a gaunt, hollow look in the cheeks, an “aged” look. That bone loss can also affect the ability to perform tooth replacement procedures, such as implants. No worries though, modern dental bone grafting techniques give way for more people than ever before to have beautiful, healthy smiles.

What is Bone Grafting?

In general, according to Healthline, “A bone graft is a surgical procedure used to fix problems with bones or joints. It is also useful for growing bone around an implanted device.., where there is bone loss or a fracture. A bone graft may fill an area where the bone is absent or help provide structural stability.”

Dental Bone Grafting

Here’s how the US National Library of Medicine puts it, “Bone grafting is a surgical procedure that replaces missing bone with material from patient′s own body, an artificial, synthetic, or natural substitute. Bone grafting is possible because bone tissue has the ability to regenerate completely if provided the space into which it has to grow. As natural bone grows, it generally replaces the graft material completely, resulting in a fully integrated region of new bone.”

This procedure not only gives health and strength to the jaw bone, but it also helps in preparation for dental implants. For dental implants to be stable and strong, they need to have 1 – 2 mm of bone totally surrounding the whole length of the implant. The Mayo Clinic, along with other medical websites, list dental bone grafting on the list of possible procedures (when needed- if the jaw is not big enough) for implants!

Dr. Lalonde is a board-certified implantologist and therefore specializes in dental implants for every need. He’s an excellent resource to gauge what you need to pursue the smile of your dreams. Contact us today for a consultation at the office to meet Dr. Lalonde and this amazing team!

What Does It Mean If a Dentist is Board Certified?

Posted on January 10, 2020December 23, 2019 by Dr. James Lalonde

Board certifications come in many shapes and sizes, but they always signify the distinction of advanced training. All dentists must, first of all, have their license to practice dentistry. They have to have a dental degree from an accredited dental school in the United States, and then additionally attain the state licensure.

A dentist who is board certified has gone through much more experience and training.

When a dentist is board certified, it means they’ve gone above and beyond the basic degree requirements for dental licensure in order to best serve their patients, family, and friends. It is not a requirement for dentists to achieve a board certification, so when you’re working with a dentist who has accomplished this reputable achievement, you’re working with an expert who cares about giving you the best.

Fortunately, among many other distinctions, Dr. Lalonde is a board-certified implantologist, actually, 1 of only 15 board certified implantologists in the state of Indiana. To obtain board certification, Dr. Lalonde had to take several hundred hours of continuing education, pass a written test, pass an oral examination, and present at least 120 cases to the board examiners, to verify his expertise and to earn that distinction.

What’s an implantologist?

It’s a dentist who’s undertaken the study of implant restoration and implant surgery, and all the sciences related to that, such as physiology, anatomy, pharmacology, wound healing, etc. Implantology benefits millions of people around the world today.

No matter your dental needs, Dr. Lalonde displays character through the achievements in his specialty areas. Check out his website for more information! He’s knowledgeable in many areas of dentistry, and he’s happy to help.

Should I Get Dental Implants, Dentures, or a Bridge?

Posted on December 23, 2019December 23, 2019 by Dr. James Lalonde

Adult tooth loss comes in many shapes and sizes. Whether the loss was from an injury, gum disease, or other causes, there are millions of people affected by it. It causes challenges in self-esteem, chewing, and facial aesthetics, but, fortunately, tooth loss can be treated in many ways. Experts these days provide several options for people with one or more missing teeth, so inquiry about dental replacements is a great way to begin finding out what those are!

Here are some dental replacement options coupled with their definitions. With this information, along with direction from a dental professional 1, you can accurately assess your personal dental replacement needs!

Dental Implants

Dental implants provide the closest way to restore missing teeth, compared to the original, natural tooth. According to WebMD, “Implants provide a strong foundation for fixed (permanent) or removable replacement teeth that are made to match your natural teeth. Advantages of dental implants include improved speech, appearance, comfort, and convenience.” Implants require the same maintenance as your regular teeth! Learn more about dental implants here!

Dentures

Dentures are generally considered partial dentures or complete dentures. Another article from WebMD states: “A denture is a removable replacement for missing teeth and surrounding tissues … Complete dentures are used when all the teeth are missing, while partial dentures are used when some natural teeth remain.” Some partial dentures can even be considered a bridge (see below)! Dentures have their own benefits such as cost efficiency, and, in some cases, immediate access after tooth removal. Click here for more information on dentures!

Bridge

A dental bridge, very practically, bridges a gap formed by a missing tooth. Healthline 4 says it like this: “A dental bridge is a false tooth (called a pontic) that is held in place by the abutment teeth on either side of the gap.” There are actually 4 different types of dental bridges! Click here 4 for a breakdown of all those types.

As a board-certified Implantologist and a Prosthodontist, Dr. Lalonde 1 offers patients the comfort and confidence of knowing they are in good hands. Dr. Lalonde is one of only 15 board-certified implantologists in the state of Indiana. His advanced training combines with almost 40 years of clinical experience to produce consistently beautiful and healthy, long-lasting smiles.

Click here to explore our website for more information on restorative dentistry from Dr. Lalonde!

Category: Implant Dentistry