Advanced Ridge and Sinus Augmentations

Ridge and sinus augmentations are advanced procedures used to rebuild areas of the gums and bone in the upper and maxillofacial jaw that become deteriorated following a tooth extraction. Although sunken areas of the gum are not typically a threat to oral health, many patients consider them to be unsightly. Furthermore, a deteriorated gum ridge may prevent or interfere with the fitting or placement of replacement prosthesis, such as a bridge or implant.

By correcting these deteriorated areas with advanced ridge or sinus augmentation, patients are capable of achieving a more natural appearance and also improving their chances of supporting an implant successfully.

Most commonly, patients require hard tissue grafting, which uses a bone graft to help restore the bones that support the teeth. Hard tissue grafting is typically used in patients who are ineligible for tooth implants due to deteriorated bone in the jaw line. There are two types of augmentation procedures used in underdeveloped or deteriorated gum lines:

Advanced Ridge Augmentation – a grafting procedure used to build up a gum line that is deteriorated following an extraction or due to periodontal disease, injury, long-time denture wear or developmental complications.

Sinus Augmentation – a procedure used to increase the quality and consistency of the upper jaw bone by lifting the sinus floor and filling in void areas with grafted bone.

Some patients also request soft tissue grafting, which uses a similar tissue to the gums as a substitution for the gum itself. Soft tissue grafting is occasionally used to combat receding gums that are needed to protect sensitive tooth roots, but it is more often used for aesthetic purposes.

Whether a patient undergoes soft or hard tissue augmentation, every procedure begins with the administration of anesthetic to numb the treatment area and make patients as comfortable as possible. Treatment sites are carefully repaired with stitches, and a healing period of several months may be required before an implant can be placed into newly grafted bone.

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