Expert: Tony Appleton BDS DPDS - 2/23/2007

Question
Thank you for the explanation. So with what ever bone you use as a graft, (donor, bovine, or synthetic) you will lose the grafted bone and your own bone replaces it? Very educational! I always thought that it was only the synthetic bone that resorbs or is lost.
-------------------------------------------
The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----
I understand that synthetic bone resorbs after a few months leaving the patients own bone, is that correct? Would that not make for a less stronger option than original bone in the beginning?
-------------------------------------------
The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----
I went for 3 implant consultations and all three dentists recommend synthetic bone for grafting. Has this become so successful over harvesting a patient's own bone that its become the favorite choice for dentists?
-----Answer-----
Hi Bonnie

In the right cases, synthetic bone is preferred over autogenous bone (i.e. your own bone) because autogenous grafting obviously needs two operating sites i.e. the donor site (where the bone is harvested from) and the graft site (where it is grafted to). This means that not only will you have to heal at the graft site, but also at the bone donor site. Bone is usually taken from the chin, wisdom tooth area or hip. This therefore doubles the complexity of the procedure and also affects your recovery time.

Having said that, your own bone is going to work far better than synthetic bone as a graft material. There is now plenty of research and many many of these cases have been carried out, such that we can predict the treatment outcome pretty accurately. Synthetic bone is used an awful lot where the required graft is not too extensive - and it works well.

I think that as you have had the same opinion from three different specialists, that this is almost certainly the best treatment option in your particular case.

I hope this is of some help to you.

Regards

Tony Appleton
-----Answer-----
Yes you're right, the synthetic bone will resorb over a period of time. However, it's job is not to provide a solid foundation for the implant, but rather to act as a matrix that will encourage growth of your own bone. Basically over time your own bone will grow into and around the synthetic bone, replacing it.

If you were to have a graft with your own bone, the aim is for the grafted bone to fuse with your original bone. When this is done a significant volume of the graft will be lost. Generally if you have this type of graft you would have the graft carried out first, then wait a period of time (up to 12 months) before implant placement.  

Answer
Not quite - the synthetic bone acts as a matrix for your own bone to grow into - so becomes incorporated into your bone. With a bone graft using your own bone, the aim is to keep as much of the graft material as possible, however, you will actually lose a significant proportion of the original graft volume.