Thin Lower Ridge

The Story:

This patient had her lower back teeth extracted several years ago and the jaw bone suffered gradual resorption. She had great difficulty chewing on that side and wanted to replace her missing teeth. She was told by several dentists that she can not have implants because she was did not have enough bone and had recommended her to get a partial denture. She said even the thought of partial denture made her feel ‘old’ and just simply did not want it. After several consultations, she was referred to Dr. Kazemi for evaluation.

Treatment:

The patient had one premolar and two molars missing significantly compromising her bite and chewing function. Her ridge was quite thin and inadequate for placement of conventional implants. First, her ridge was grafted to develop proper width. After 6 months of healing, three ideal implants were placed and in less than two months later, restored with single crowns.

The bone graft, not only allowed placement of implants, but also created a normal gum tissue and tooth form that allows her to easily floss and clean. She now can eat comfortably on both sides and enjoy her favorite foods.

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