Bone Morphogenetic Protein
Phoenix, AZ
The success of dental implants is reliant on the health and availability of bone. For most patients, this means that a bone graft will be necessary. At Implant and Periodontal Wellness Center of Arizona, under the care of Ronald Watkins, DDS, MS , we can stimulate healthy bone growth with the use of Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2. Your oral health is of high importance to your overall health, and to your happiness, we can help you have the bone mass needed to enhance it.
What Is Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2?
Our body naturally creates the protein known as, Bone Morphogenetic Protein, it is the protein that our body sends when the bone matter has been damaged. Scientists have worked to isolate that protein and then allow a larger production of it to occur to induce faster, larger amounts of the protein, both healing and stimulating our natural ability to grow bone. By using our natural resource, we no longer need other bone grafting materials, reducing the incidence of rejection. There are six known BMP’s in our body, and BMP-2 has been the protein most recommended for oral related bone growth.
Why Do I Need Bone Growth?
Bone, much like our muscles, requires movement and exercise to stay healthy. As we exercise, the body sends out signals that an area has had damage occur due to movement and exercise and requests that cells be sent to rebuild, making the area stay active and healthy. When we stop that motion or movement, the body assumes that it is no longer needed and pulls its resources back. You may have seen this in a person who is bound to a wheelchair, after a long period their legs will appear significantly smaller in size. This decrease in bone mass is known as atrophy or sorption. This same natural effect of atrophy is true in dentistry also.
The system that allows for teeth and chewing consists of a jawbone, which then has a bony portion known as a tooth root which the tooth then rests in. In very basic terms, this is a three-part building block system. The jaw is the bone, and like all bone, it requires exercise to stay strong. In this situation the exercise comes from chewing food and speaking. We chew food with our teeth, and that motion and energy are transferred through the root to the jaw, exercising the jaw. When a patient loses a tooth, they also lose that middle building block, the tooth root, that connected the tooth and jaw, breaking that connection. The motion that is supposed to be transferred to the bone is lost. The patient may seek a false tooth as a replacement, but without that middle piece, the motion is still not transferred. The jawbone is not being exercised and then decreases in size through atrophy or sorption. The loss of bone mass is significant, making a notable difference in the size of your face within a year of loss.
The only way to stop bone loss following the loss of a tooth is through the placement of a dental implant. Dental implants are not a false tooth, they are that middle building block, which we then place a false tooth over. Before we can place the implant, the foundation, which in this situation is the jaw, has to be firm. You can not build a structure on a poor foundation and expect long-lasting good results.
To build this foundation, we need to rebuild the bone mass. This can be done in a few different ways, but using your own body’s natural resources is setting you up for the best results. Ronald Watkins, DDS, MS can help you achieve the best results.
We would love to meet with you and discuss our techniques specific to your situation. For more information, contact our front office staff at Implant and Periodontal Wellness Center of Arizona, we are happy to help. (480) 504-0506 |
