New Innovations in Implant Dentistry - Bone Grafting
Adequate Supporting Bone for Dental Implants
“The body wants to heal, let’s work with it.”
One of the biggest problems with placing dental implants is the lack of adequate supporting bone. After teeth have been removed the gum and the bone will gradually shrink. This can vary in amount depending on whether there was an underlying gum infection or if the patient had gum disease.
We now provide 2 of the latest innovations that make implant placement a lot easier and more predictable than before.
- Ethoss bone grafting material is a new material that is revolutionizing implant placement protocols.
- This is a unique synthetic bone grafting material that allows us to repair and replace lost bone.
- Fast healing and regeneration takes as little as 10 weeks, thus shortening treatment time.
Ethoss FAQ
This Frequently Asked Questions section should answer any questions you have, however please don’t hesitate to contact us if you would like any more information.
What is a bone graft?
Bone grafting is a common, well-established surgical procedure that has been used in dental implant surgery for many years. It is the practice of encouraging new bone growth in a desired area and has many applications – ethoss® is used in dental implant surgery, to support the placement of implants.
Why do I need a bone graft?
Bone height and depth in your jaw can be lost due to many situations including tooth extraction, oral disease, dentures/bridge work or trauma.
When you lose a tooth, it is very common for the supporting part of bone in your jaw to start receding / shrinking. If you are receiving dental implants then extra bone may need to be grown, or “grafted”, to support the implant in your jaw and ensure the implant can be placed in the same position as your existing teeth.
What is ethoss®?
- Ethoss® is a material used for bone grafting, sometimes called Guided Bone Regeneration (GBR).
- It is a white granular powder, which becomes a paste when mixed with sterile saline.
- This paste is then applied to the area where more bone is needed to support an implant.
- The ethoss® then encourages rapid bone regrowth, and may shorten the overall duration of your procedure and healing time.
- Ethoss® is a completely synthetic product, made without any human or animal bone, and is completely absorbed by your body as new bone grows.
Why do I need ethoss® in my procedure?
Without a tooth to support it, the bone in your jaw will recede and will not grow back naturally – often making it impossible to properly secure an implant. ethoss® will encourage your bone to grow back, quickly giving you enough bone to secure an implant.
What is ethoss® made of?
- Ethoss® is a combination of Beta Tri-Calcium Phosphate (often called B-TCP) and Calcium Sulphate.
This combination creates an environment rich in calcium and phosphate ions, ideal for new bone growth. - Ethoss® does not contain any animal products and it is fully absorbed back into the body over time, being replaced by your bone.
- Ethoss® is absorbed by your new bone as it grows – it doesn’t stay in your body indefinitely.
- If you took an area of your new bone several years later and put it under a microscope then there would be no remnants of ethoss® left.
Is it safe?
Yes – ethoss® is CE marked and manufactured to strict quality standards. It has proven extremely popular with both dentists and patients and has been used in thousands of surgeries worldwide.
Other products say they are “natural” – why is ethoss® different?
When a product says they are “natural”, what they are usually referring to is the presence of a natural bone source in their mixture. This is bone can come from several sources – bovine (dead cow), porcine (dead pig) or equine (dead horse). When these products are used in a grafting procedure some are not fully absorbed – the foreign bone may stay in your body forever, with your bone growing back around it.
There are also many grafting products or techniques which involve using human bone. This bone could come from you – a clinician would “harvest” it from another site of your body and screw it into your jaw. There are also systems where donated bone is sourced from a “bone bank”, cut to size and then implanted.
As a synthetic product, ethoss® is simple. You do not have to worry about the risk of cross-infection from using other sources of bone, you do not have to worry about having the bone of someone else (who is deceased) inside you, and you don’t have to worry about the site where one of your bones could be harvested (this is often an uncomfortable process). ethoss® is completely absorbed into your body, being replaced completely by your own bone.
Why should I ask my dentist for ethoss®?
ethoss® will help your bone to grow quickly, with minimal discomfort and pain. It will make your procedure quicker and easier, and it will be completely replaced by your own bone – it won’t leave any remnants in your body.