A native Houstonian, Dr. Patrick Nicosia has established himself as a practice leader in the field of Periodontics for over 3 decades. After receiving a Bachelor of Science degree, Dr. Nicosia received both his Doctor of Dental Surgery and Master of Science degrees from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Dentistry. After completing his residency program and entering private practice, Dr. Nicosia was also a part-time faculty member of UT Houston School of Dentistry for six years as an Associate Professor. He is an active member of the American Academy of Periodontology, the Southwest Society of Periodontology, and the Texas Society of Periodontists.
Dr. Nicosias overall philosophy is to provide the highest level of periodontal andimplantcare available in a patient-centered environment. To that end, he is consistently expanding his knowledge by attending advanced continuing education courses to ensure that his periodontal office remains one of the most technically advanced dental specialty practices in the nation.
He and his wife Darnellys, a Petroleum Engineer and a native of Venezuela, spend most of their leisure time enjoying the beauties of Laguna Madre and South Padre Island. Dr. Nicosia is an avid catch and release fly fisherman. They both are pet lovers and are passionate about the care of abused animals.
I began my dental career 13 years ago working with Dr. Nicosia and his staff. Dr. Nicosia has taught me the fundamentals of assisting, but also taught me the importance of treating our patients like family and making sure that your visit here can be the best visit possible. I couldnt imagine working for a better dental office, and I am grateful for the opportunity to work with such caring people.
I joined Dr. Nicosias dental family as his surgical assistant in 2002. A few years later I became his hygienist. He has mentored me to be the best hygienist I can be, to always provide the golden standard of care and the importance of patient education.
Dental bone grafts are processes executed to augment the amount of bone in parts of your jaw where bone resorption has happened, or supplemental reinforcement is required. For example, the bone for the grafting procedure could be taken from other parts of your body to integrate it into the existing bone in the jaw surgically. Synthetic bone also helps in bone grafts.
Bone grafts are performed using several techniques, but the basic procedure remains the same. First, an oral surgeon or dentist makes incisions in the jaw to attach other bone material. Bone grafts usually become necessary if you have lost one or more teeth or have gum disease. Loss of teeth and gum disease both cause bone loss in the jaw.
The preferred technique for dental bone grafting is when the surgeon or dentist takes bone from your hip, back of the jaw, or tibia. This procedure is called an autograft which is considered the gold standard because it increases bony support in the jaw and promotes faster healing besides new bone formation.
Besides autografts dentists also perform allografts, xenografts, and alloplasts. Allografts use one from another person or a cadaver, while xenografts use bone from animals. Alloplasts use synthetic material to provide bone grafts.
If you intend to replace missing teeth with dental implants, you may need a bone graft if you have an insufficient bone in your jaw. Dental implants are artificial tooth roots resembling screws embedded in your jawbone. A dental crown matching the neighboring teeth is then placed over the implant. In many cases, a bone graft becomes essential to provide a stable base for the implant.
You may require a dental bone graft even if you dont have any missing teeth because the procedure may become necessary to support a part of your jaw where bone loss has occurred due to tooth loss or gum disease. The process becomes necessary because bone loss can affect the neighboring teeth and gum tissue. The bone graft helps stabilize the jaw and prevents further bone loss and long-term health complications.
Other candidates for bonegrafting include people whose appearance is affected by bone loss. People with bone loss in the lower jaw are affected by changes in their lips and muscles around them to change their appearance. Bone loss is familiar among the elderly because they can develop bone-thinning conditions like osteoporosis as they get older. However, people who have suffered injuries or do not maintain appropriate dental hygiene may also need a dental bone graft.
Bone grafting procedures that dont require harvesting bone from the patients body are relatively minor. You receive sedation during the process to ensure you dont feel any pain until after the anesthesia wears off. After that, the pain is manageable using over-the-counter pain relievers for a few days. However, if the bone was harvested from your body, the recovery is rather uncomfortable because the surgery is performed in two locations, like your hip and jaw.
After you undergo a dental bone graft, you can leave with gauze over the incision in your mouth. You receive instructions for changing the dressing during the next 24 hours and prescriptions for antibiotics to help prevent infections. You may also accept a prescription for palliatives. Some post-operative care tips include the following:
During your recovery, you must avoid scorching liquids like coffee or soups. Avoiding strenuous activity like contact sports that may damage the incision is best when recovering. You must stay away from crunchy and hard foods or nuts to avoid irritating the incision.
Your jaw begins feeling normal after a few weeks. However, require a few months before your jaw is strong to receive implants. Continue with regular visits to your dentist for checkups, including at least one round of x-rays during your recovery.