Bone & Tissue Regeneration

Gum disease has traditionally been treated by eliminating the gum pockets by trimming away the infected gum tissue and by re-contouring the uneven bone tissue. Although this is still an effective way of treating gum disease, new and more sophisticated procedures are used routinely today. One of these advancements is guided bone regeneration, also referred to as guided tissue regeneration. This procedure is used to stabilize endangered teeth or to prepare the jaw for dental implants.

As periodontal disease progresses, pockets of degenerated bone develop around affected teeth. To address these pockets, Dr. Ledesma may recommend tissue regeneration to regrow some of the lost bone support. During this surgical procedure, the pockets are cleaned thoroughly, and a membrane is installed covering the bone and added bone graft material, around the tooth surface, but under the gum. The membrane covers the pocket so that fast-growing soft tissue is blocked, and slower-growing bone can begin to grow, or “regenerate” itself.

Ridge Augmentation: Guided bone regeneration is also used to rebuild a volume of lost jawbone to enable implant placement where there has been so much bone loss that not enough room remains to successfully place implants.

The effectiveness of the procedure generally depends on the patient’s willingness to follow a strict postoperative diet and careful oral care. Dr. Ledesma will help you determine if bone regeneration surgery is right for you.