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Bone graft - can anyone help?

S

sharon

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 8, 2012
Messages
217
The plan is to have #10 extracted, have a bone graft, have a crown on #11 and then a bridge. Also possibly I may lose #9. My dentist does not explain things to me. He thinks because of my dental phobia the less I know the better. But with my dental phobia it's the more I know the better. The unanswered questions keep me up at night. All he will tell me is "everything will fall into place."

Can anyone give me any idea of how long a bone graft will take (just the actual work time, not counting the time sitting and chatting with the dentist and getting numbed up)? I honestly don't know if it's a 10 minute procedure or a 4 hour procedure. Why do I need a bone graft if I'm not having an implant? Does it take place at the same appt as the extraction? This is a front tooth so what happens after the extraction - if the dental surgeon does it will I have a big space in the front until I get to the dentist for a temporary something? At what point will I need impressions and how many will I need? (impressions are my biggest problem - small mouth/big tongue/miserable patient) I plan to have as much as possible done under oral sedation but I don't want to lose an entire day just for a five minute impression appointment so I'm hoping they can do what they need to do impression wise during one of the longer appts.

I need to know what to expect and my dentist will not tell me. And I am looking for a new dentist, I hope I can get things squared up with one before the tooth falls out on its own.
 
Two weeks ago I had an extraction of #10 and a bone graft. I am hopeful to get an implant on that top tooth.. But have quite a bit of bone loss on that one, as well as keeping an eye on# 11 and even # 9. I was told that getting the graft would be good regardless of being able to get an implant or not.

The appointment for both at the side time was 1 1/2 hours... But some of that was the chair wasn't leaning back properly.. So I had to switch exam rooms a couple times before the chair became unstuck for the procedure. The procedure was't bad with the numbing... But I was tired when I got home.. Just took a nap.

I neglected my teeth for a number of years, hated going -then started periodontal visits for about 6 years.. Then I didn't get in for the last over a year and a half.. And seems like the perfect storm between smoking for years and not getting in. I'm on day 9 of quitting smoking... Guess these teeth issues hit me hard.. Finally.

Best set wishes with the appointment- I had zero pain... Just a lot of nervousness beforehand..
 
Hopeful - thank you so much for your response. Looks like both of us are having issues in the same area. Can you answer a couple questions for me - who did the extraction, oral surgeon or general dentist? What are you using as a temporary tooth up there and did you have to go around at all with no tooth in the #9 spot?

Thanks again, Sharon
 
I need a back bottom molar extracted with a bone graft too. My dentist said he could do it but referred me to an oral surgeon because I need to be seriously sedated in order to have it done. The oral
surgeon told me to be prepared to spend about an hour and a half maybe two from start to finish. That includes Meds, extraction, bone graft and recovery from General anesthesia. Hope this helps. I would also not hesitate to tell your dentist you NEED DETAILS to help alleviate some of your anxiety. If he won't just tell you, do a little research and ask him some pointed questions so he doesn't just dismiss you.
 
Hi Sharon -

I didn't go around without a temporary tooth at all. Can't imagine going to the office without some kind of temp up front where it shows.

My dentist did the impression first (very short appointment), they sent it to the lab, which made it within a day or so. The dentist said they could have the flipper sent directly to the periodontist who was doing the extraction and bone graft. I decided to just go pick up the flipper myself and carry it to the periodontist the day of the extraction/bone graft. Don't know if that was necessary -- but I felt more secure carrying it in. When my periodontist called to remind me of the appt... They also reminded me of the flipper... Ha.. As if I was going to forget either.. I too get very nervous before appts.

Truthfully, the tooth they extracted was pretty wobbly-- so although I felt Very sad about losing a top tooth...I had been nervous about it coming out and tired of eating soft foods on one side of the mouth.
 
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