Dr. Maté is a specialist in implantology, an expert in biomaterials and head of a chair in bone regeneration and biomaterials. His career focuses on the development of new techniques in dental esthetics, implantology and prosthetics. In this article he talks about bone regeneration, a procedure that aims to achieve a natural bone for the patient.
Bone regeneration encompasses all those procedures in which the aim is to achieve bone tissue similar to natural bone. To do this, the specialist in dentistry uses different surgical techniques and bone grafting materials, which will allow in situations of bone atrophy or shortage of bone to obtain a regenerated area where to rehabilitate with dental implants.
The aim is to obtain a bone as close as possible to the patient’s natural bone, which allows to work on it in a more specific way.
When is bone regeneration used?
This procedure is focused on patients who present complex situations of lack of bone, as well as specific situations where it is necessary to correct problems around implants. Patients in whom implants cannot be placed directly or because the anatomy of the bone does not allow them to be placed satisfactorily and in adequate positions.
Patients suitable to undergo bone regeneration.
The specific assessment of each patient is of vital importance to obtain high success rates in bone regeneration procedures, a correct diagnosis and planning of the specific case allows to achieve optimal results. It is necessary to know the general state of health of the patient, as well as specific medications that may influence the response of the bone to these very specific surgical treatments.
Risks for the patient
With the advance of bone regeneration and bone grafting materials, both postoperative discomfort and the risks inherent to surgery for patients have been controlled and minimized. In the case of the use of commercial grafting biomaterials, the risk to the patient is summarized in the proper surgical technique, correcting previous infectious problems and managing the technique well will allow obtaining adequate results with minimal risks. In cases in which the patient’s own bone is used, there are added complications derived from the site where the graft is obtained, i.e. two surgical sites in the same intervention. Therefore, a correct diagnosis, planning and a surgeon well trained in the technique will help to minimize the risks.
Advantages of bone regeneration
In the upper arch, the alternatives to regeneration techniques include implants in non-maxillary bone, such as zygomatic implants. And in the lower arch, rehabilitation techniques with few implants do not allow fully implant-supported prostheses (fixed), so the advantages of regeneration are mainly to be able to place implants in more natural and comfortable positions to achieve optimal functional and esthetic prosthetic rehabilitation.