A dental bone graft is a surgical procedure that repairs or rebuilds bone via the transplanting of bone tissue. Healthy bone tissue, when transplanted, recreates missing bone and supporting tissue.
For someone who suffers from gum disease, such as periodontitis, bone loss can be a real problem. Not only can gum disease lead to the loss of teeth and gum tissue, it can lead to bone loss in the jaw area as well. When oral hygiene is neglected, bacteria can form and thrive in the plaque that has formed on the teeth. This results in swelling and inflammation of the gums. Periodontitis begins as gingivitis, but the gums bleeding when the teeth are brushed or even just on their own comma and mild swelling of the gums can also occur. As bacteria forms, the plaque present on the teeth produces toxins and bacteria that make their way below the gum line. When this happens, the underlying tissue becomes infected.