Bone regeneration

Periodontal disease, loss of teeth and acute oral infections lead to loss of normal bone and gum architecture in our mouth. In recent decades, thanks to the advances in the bio-engineering of materials in the field of tissue regeneration, techniques of bone and mucous reconstruction have been perfected. Not only can we regenerate the defects (the famous “pockets”) around the teeth, but we can also rebuild bone profiles that have atrophied. This allows us to insert aesthetically effective implants also in areas where we used to say “there is no bone“. Over 370 tissue regenerations with collagen membranes and space-technique have been performed in our facility. The success of the long-term results encourages us to propose them as the ideal choice in many treatment plans.

The upper molars are among the most difficult to recover in the event of a severe periodontal impairment. In case of loss of the upper molars, the residual alveolar bone profile beneath the maxillary sinus is often minimal and insufficient for an implant. Fortunately in this area it is possible to increase the bone by exploiting the base of the maxillary sinus and reconstructing in a simple and predictable way from 3 mm to 20 mm of bone vertically and horizontally with an artificial bone substitute. This is a technique that has been used and refined for more than 30 years. If properly planned, it does not involve significant risks and causes very little discomfort for the patient, avoiding having to resort to mobile prostheses, dentures, or large implant screws on the front jaw. Over the last 17 years, our office has performed over 290 sinus lifts with a 100% success rate.

In cases where one wants to reconstruct the loss of alveolar bone not only horizontally but also vertically, “autologous bone grafting” certainly represents the technique of choice, since it has the most predictable results over time. With the use of our piezoelectric handpiece (hence without rotating tips!), a solid bone fragment is cut and removed from the side of the wisdom teeth, then shaped to be inserted on the maxillary defect to be filled. It is secured here with one or more surgical micro screws, then coated with synthetic bone substitute and collagen membranes. The implants can be inserted after at least 5 months. Because of the “double” swelling (not pain!) due to the second wound of the donor site, this technique, although it has offered us perfect results in several dozen cases, is only recommend when it is particularly suited.