Ridge Augmentation Restores Your Oral Shape and Bone Health

If you suffer from bone loss in your jawbone ridges, Our Winter Park oral surgeon, Dr. Juan Samaniego, can restore their shape and function with ridge augmentation

Your alveolar jawbone holds your tooth roots in place for a shapely, healthy smile. Unfortunately, tooth loss, injury, and congenital conditions can cause the alveolar ridge to deteriorate and become deformed. Progressive bone and gum tissue loss can cause the mouth and cheeks to take on a hollow appearance, gradually narrowing your face. This ridge deficiency can also make you ineligible for dental implant-supported restorations such as crowns, bridges, or dentures.

Who is a Candidate for Ridge Augmentation?

Many patients can benefit from ridge augmentation. You may suffer from deformities in your alveolar ridges due to:

  • Tooth extraction, after which the bone or gum tissue did not regenerate properly.
  • Conventional denture or bridge use. Unlike dental implants, these restorations do not exercise the surrounding tissues, causing them to deteriorate over time.
  • Severe gum disease (periodontitis), during which bacteria and toxins can degrade the oral tissues.
  • Traumatic injury to the mouth.
  • Untreated gaps in the teeth. These can prevent the opposing teeth from having a proper chewing surface, leading to bone loss.

If you suffer from any of the above conditions, you may qualify for ridge augmentation. To be an ideal candidate for this procedure, you should:

  • Be in good dental and oral health (aside from the condition causing the ridge deficiency).
  • Not suffer from any systemic or immune conditions that could make anesthesia or surgery unsafe for you.
  • Have realistic expectations for the results of your ridge augmentation procedure. Dr. Samaniego can help explain your expected outcomes at your initial consultation.
  • Be willing to take steps such that your ridge will not deteriorate again after your procedure. This could include replacing missing teeth with dental implants, titanium posts inserted into the jaw to hold restorations and stimulate the bone.

Soft Tissue Ridge Augmentation

If bone deterioration or other issues cause you to lose gum tissue around a particular tooth, you may benefit from soft tissue ridge augmentation. Dr. Samaniego uses this technique to build up the gum tissue, in some cases reattaching it to palate or surrounding structures. If you require this procedure, Dr. Samaniego will make an incision into your gums. Next, he will place a soft tissue graft into this region to enhance its shape and volume. The graft material may be autologous (surgically removed from your own palate) or made from donor tissues. Once Dr. Samaniego has secured your graft in place, he will simply suture your gums so they can heal together. We can provide local anesthesia as well as sedation options to keep you comfortable during this process.

Hard Tissue Ridge Augmentation

To restore deteriorated jawbone, Dr. Samaniego can perform hard tissue ridge augmentation using bone grafting techniques. During this procedure, he will make an incision into the gum tissue over the affected bone, then use titanium components to attach bone tissue from your own body, an allograft (refined tissue from a cadaver’s body), or a xenograft (made from a non-human source). Next, he may use bone marrow or plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) to help this tissue integrate with your natural bone. To complete the procedure, Dr. Samaniego will stitch the affected gums. As with soft tissue ridge augmentation, we typically use local anesthesia and sedation to keep patients relaxed throughout this procedure.

Find Out How Ridge Augmentation Could Help You

Dr. Renato J. Samaniego serves patients from throughout the Orlando area. If you suffer from ridge deficiency, Dr. Samaniego can use soft tissue ridge augmentation, hard tissue ridge augmentation, or both to rebuild your oral structures. Call Central Florida Institute of Oral Surgery and Dental Implants to learn more about these procedures or schedule a complimentary initial consultation.