Bone grafting is a common procedure used in dentistry for bone preservation, augmentation, as well as for tissue and bone contouring for the stability of prostheses. In their book “Next-generation Biomaterials for Bone & Periodontal Regeneration”, Professor of Periodontics Richard Miron and biomaterials expert Yufeng Zhang state that bone grafts essentially “minimize dimensional changes after extraction by preserving the structure” (2019, p. 109) of the bone. When teeth are extracted, the surrounding bone goes through a process called “resorption”, losing its width and height. This can make it difficult to replace lost teeth, particularly in the esthetic “smile zone” of the mouth.
Common bone graft materials are sourced from human cadaver (allografts), bovine (xenografts) and synthetic sources (alloplasts). These graft materials are thoroughly purified by various means to be free of contaminates. While rare, they are always risks of contamination, rejection, as well as allergic, immunologic and inflammatory reactions.
A Natural Alternative
Biological or Holistic Dentistry practitioners strive to use procedures that are minimally invasive and least toxic to the body. When appropriate, autografts (from self) can provide for the safest and most natural means to restore and preserve bone and tissue and can thereby potentially eliminate the need for bone grafts obtained from human cadaver, animal or synthetic sources.
Tooth Ready to Process
Typically, extracted teeth are discarded as biohazard waste, however, under certain conditions your extracted tooth can be processed into a graft material. According to Miron and Zhang, “The use of extracted teeth as a bone grafting material offers many advantages to the clinician. The material is entirely autogenous (from self) and contains mineralized tissue similar to bone with an array of bioactive growth factors contained within its dentin matrix, yet it carries no risk of disease transmission.” (Miron & Zhang, 2019, p. 118) Clearly, this new approach gives patients an exciting potential alternative to the conventional options for bone grafts.
Tooth Ready for Grafting
Where Can I Get This Technology?
At Ecologic Dentistry, we have the technology to process your own extracted teeth into bone grafting material. Extracted teeth can even be properly stored for use in the future, thereby potentially eliminating the need for bone obtained from human cadaver, animal or through synthetic means. For individuals with health, religious or ethical reservations regarding other kinds of grafts, autografts (from self) could be a viable solution.
“I was excited to use my own tooth! I didn’t have to worry about my body rejecting or reacting to a foreign material. The procedure went well and it healed quickly. I hope more dentists would be open to new technologies.”