Why We Wait After Bone Grafting to Strengthen Insufficient Gums Caused by Bone Loss

As a full member of the Korean Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Implantology,

and a dentist who handles Straumann BLX implants

and Dentium SuperLine implants,

I am Sohyun-su, the head director of Jaejugo Dental Clinic.

We also perform the premium Straumann BLX implant line,

developed by Straumann, the world’s No. 1 implant company.

No matter how good the implant is,

the most important factor is still the condition of the “jawbone,”

the solid ground where the post will be placed.

When the gums have already resorbed,

the teeth become loose and pus comes out..

There is swelling, pain, and bleeding. ㅠㅠ

Eventually, there comes a time when the tooth has to be extracted.

Why?

Because instead of losing the tooth,

we need to prevent the gums from resorbing any further

and plan for the future...

However, when the gums have receded due to peri-implant inflammation

or chronic gum inflammation (chronic periodontal disease, periodontitis),

or when the jawbone has resorbed and disappeared,

there are quite a few cases where there is not enough bone

to place a post right away.

Figure 1. Peri-implantitis (dark area around the implant)

Implants should not be rushed

One of the trends in dentistry these days is

placing an implant right after extraction.

The idea that it can be placed immediately after

the tooth is pulled is a very attractive option

in today’s busy modern society.

But this is not suitable in every case.

On the contrary, if the bone is weak

or there are problems such as chronic periodontitis,

there are certainly cases where placing the post right away is risky.

If implant placement fails,

the jawbone may be damaged even more,

and it may take a long time until the next surgery,

or in some cases, additional placement may even become impossible.

That is why I think it is much more important

not to create a risky situation.

According to research,

allowing sufficient healing time after extraction

is far more favorable for improving implant stability and success rates.

Bone grafting and delayed placement

Restoring the gums to health again

Bone grafting is a treatment method used to reinforce insufficient gums.

In the extraction site

or in areas where the jawbone has become thin,

artificial bone or the patient’s own bone is grafted

to create an environment where healthy bone can grow again.

According to one study,

when the gums were insufficient,

the failure rate increased by more than 20%

when an implant was placed immediately after extraction.

So if bone grafting is done after extraction,

a more stable outcome can be expected

when surgery is performed later.

Option 1. Allow a recovery period after extraction

Option 2. Perform bone grafting first after extraction

These days, the second option

— doing bone grafting first after extraction —

is the preferred approach.

Of course, if the inflammation is severe,

before grafting,

it is necessary to thoroughly remove inflammatory tissue such as pus

and clean away anything that could become a source of infection.

In addition, factors such as diabetes or smoking

can also have an effect,

so they must be considered carefully.

Figure 2. Bone grafting after extraction in (Figure 1)

Care and precautions after bone grafting

Even if the bone graft is successfully completed at the clinic,

it is difficult to achieve good results if aftercare is not properly followed.

After bone grafting,

you must follow the precautions given by the dental clinic carefully.

1. Be careful with food intake

2. Maintain oral cleanliness

3. No smoking!!!

4. Keep your dental appointments

When bone grafting is performed,

the treatment period becomes longer than in cases where an implant is placed immediately after extraction,

so the burden of maintaining oral hygiene is somewhat greater,

but

that does not mean we can give up on the jawbone.

This is something you must follow.

Dental treatment is a procedure in which

patient cooperation is extremely important.

No matter how well the dentist performs the procedure,

if home care is not done properly,

the gums and implants can suddenly deteriorate...

Working together

To be honest, oral health is not something

that can be achieved by a dentist’s skill alone.

Home care is the biggest key to treatment success.

A single small habit can determine your lifelong health.

Quitting smoking not only helps gum healing,

but also brings major changes to overall health,

including lung health and cancer prevention.

Your future self will thank you for today’s decision!

At Jaejugo Dental Clinic, we will always do our utmost

so that, through everything we can do,

you can live a healthy life

without discomfort when eating, speaking, or smiling.

Thank you. ​