Missing bone volume
Where an implant is planned, the bone must allow it to sit in a position that supports a natural-looking tooth. If width or height is lacking, the implant may end up too deep or angled. Scans reveal what the surface hides.
Restorative Dentistry
Ridge Augmentation in Burlington
Sometimes it is a photo that gives it away: a shadowed dip above a missing or replaced tooth. For people from Burlington, we look at whether bone, gum or tooth design is behind it and whether ridge augmentation would help.
The dip you noticedAsk about a sunken gum area
A hollow at the gumline, and what lies beneath it
Next to its neighbours, a replacement tooth can look a little too long, or a dark triangle can appear where gum ought to be. Often the cause is the ridge, the band of jawbone that remains once a tooth is lost. Over time it can sink or narrow, and augmentation is a way to rebuild it when that suits the plan.
Not every hollow is a bone problem. Thin gum tissue, the shape of a bridge or crown, or a mix of these can create the same effect. And a gap that looks fine may still lack bone for an implant. Only examination, and often imaging, can separate these.
Visitors from Burlington usually arrive with a specific worry about how the tooth looks. At our Bronte Street practice we start there, then examine the site and explain what further assessment, specialist advice or ridge treatment might contribute to the finished result.
Sorting out the cause
Bone, gum, or the tooth itself?
Each of these can change how a replacement looks. Ask which one the clinician thinks is responsible, because the answer steers the treatment.
A contour you can see
Point out what catches your eye: the gum level, a shadow, or how the tooth meets the gum when you smile or wear a partial. That detail helps decide whether bone, soft tissue, the restoration’s design, or several of them need attention.
Changes from earlier treatment
An extraction, an accident, or a previous graft or implant can all affect today’s contour. Let us know about them. Past work explains a lot, but it does not confirm that the ridge is ready for whatever comes next.
A visible hollow does not always call for ridge augmentation. The decision rests on the replacement being planned.
What a better ridge can offer
Support for a tooth that sits naturally
When it is the right step, augmentation aims to give the planned replacement a site that suits it, so an implant can be placed where the crown needs to be, or the gum line can follow its neighbours more closely. Ask exactly which change your clinician is aiming for.
There is a trade-off. Grafting may involve surgery, a healing period, extra visits, and sometimes more treatment later. An honest conversation names those alongside the expected improvement, and it will not promise a certain amount of new bone, a perfect contour, or a guaranteed implant.
Patient information: AAP — ridge modification for implant planning
A preview of the result
Ask to see, on a model or image, where the new tooth would sit and why the ridge gets in the way. Seeing the gap between today and the goal makes the reasoning concrete.
A sequence that makes sense
Grafting can happen with implant placement or before it, with healing in between. Find out which is planned and why, which helps you work out timing and what you will wear meanwhile.
Clarity on materials
Different procedures use different graft and membrane materials. Share any preferences about their source in advance. You should understand the plan and whether a change of material would alter it.
Your path through treatment
From the first photo to the final review
Timing and method depend on the defect and the restoration. Ask who will carry out each stage and where follow-up is booked.
Look at the site and the smile
The clinician checks the gap, any imaging, your gum health and medical history, and how the area shows when you smile. Mention smoking, medicines, earlier grafts, or slow healing before. Describe the look you are hoping for.
Talk through the proposal
You will go over technique, materials, recovery, fees and alternatives. Ask about a second donor site, membranes, and any later visit to remove material. Agree how the gap will be filled while you heal.
Proceed with the agreed treatment
If you go ahead, treatment follows the technique and comfort arrangements already discussed. Instructions specific to your procedure follow. Surgery and recovery differ, so rely on your own guidance.
Recheck before the restoration
At review, the clinician assesses healing and when to plan the next step. A gum that looks settled does not mean the bone is ready. Ask what criteria they use before moving on to the tooth itself.
While the area heals
Leave the site alone and let it settle.
Keep your written aftercare advice and phone numbers within reach. Check whether exercise, cleaning or an appliance might press on the ridge.
Wear any temporary only as directed
A removable partial might need adjusting or setting aside for a time. It should not rest on the area unless your clinician says so. Plan ahead for how you will eat and how the gap will look.
Stick to the routine you were given
You will receive steps for cleaning near the site and elsewhere, plus eating advice. Avoid lifting your lip to check on it in the mirror. Ask before altering anything.
Report changes and keep reviews
Go to follow-ups even when comfortable. Contact the treating team about rising pain, renewed bleeding, discharge, or a wound that opens. They will judge whether it is expected.
Patient information: Cambridge University Hospitals — bone grafting for implants
Burlington contour questions(905) 876-4488
Appearance, gums and grafting, answered
We can show you the site and the options on a model or screen. Ask about recovery as well as the final look.
Why does my implant crown look longer than the tooth next to it?
One common reason is a loss of bone or gum height at the site, so the crown has to extend further. Implant position and crown design also play a part. An assessment can show which factor is involved and what might improve it.
Can pink-coloured material on a bridge or denture hide a hollow ridge?
In some designs, gum-coloured material is used to fill a visible gap. It can be an option when grafting is not chosen. Ask about the trade-offs in cleaning and appearance for your situation.
Is a sunken gum line always a sign that I need bone added?
No. Gum thickness, restoration shape and bone can each be involved. Examination shows which is mainly responsible. Ask whether the recommendation targets implant support, appearance, or something else.
Will a graft change how my smile looks right away?
The area will be healing for some time, and swelling can affect how it looks early on. The final appearance depends on the later restoration too. Ask what to expect during each stage.
Can gum grafting and bone grafting be done together?
In some cases, soft tissue and bone procedures are combined or staged. It depends on the defect and the plan. Ask which tissues are being treated and in what order.
How long should I wait after a graft before judging the result?
Your clinician will set review points based on the procedure. Judging too early can be misleading while the site settles. Ask when the area will be reassessed and what will decide the next step.
Burlington to Bronte Street
Let’s look at the dip together.
Book time with us at our Bronte Street practice to examine the ridge where a tooth is missing or replaced. We will discuss what you see, explain any further assessment, and talk through whether augmentation or another approach suits you.
If an earlier surgical site has changed, use the contact details from your treating clinician or call us for guidance.
Visit Milton Dental ClinicUnit 1, 342 Bronte St. S, Milton, ON L9T 5B7Get directions
Clinic hours
- Monday–Thursday
- 11am–7pm
- Friday–Sunday
- By appointment only
Areas we serve
- Milton
- Oakville
- Mississauga
- Georgetown
- Halton Hills
- Acton
- Campbellville
- Brampton
- Burlington
- Puslinch
- Rockwood
- Erin
- Caledon
- Etobicoke
- Old Milton
- Bronte Meadows
- Timberlea
- Dorset Park
- Dempsey
- Clarke
- Beaty
- Coates
- Harrison
- Scott
- Willmott
- Ford
- Bowes
- Cobden
- Walker
- Mountain View
- Milton Heights
- Hawthorne Village
- Valley View
- Fallingbrook
- Nassagaweya
- Trafalgar
- Esquesing
- Nelson
- Brookville
- Moffat
- Glen Williams
- Norval
- Limehouse
- Stewarttown
- Ashgrove
- Hornby
- Silver Creek
- Speyside
- Scotch Block
- North Oakville
- River Oaks
- Glen Abbey
- West Oak Trails
- Palermo
- Bronte Creek
- College Park
- Joshua Creek
- Uptown Core
- Preserve
- Iroquois Ridge
- Lisgar
- Meadowvale
- Meadowvale Village
- Churchill Meadows
- Erin Mills
- Central Erin Mills
- Streetsville
- East Credit
- Creditview
- Heartland
- Sheridan
- Mount Pleasant
- Credit Valley
- Huttonville
- Churchville
- Springbrook
- Northwest Brampton
- Bram West
- Fletcher's Meadow
- Fletcher's Creek South
- Alton Village
- Orchard
- Millcroft
- Headon Forest
- Tansley
- Brant Hills
- Tyandaga
- Kilbride
- Lowville
- Aberfoyle
- Morriston
- Arkell
- Hillsburgh
- Freelton
- Carlisle
- Waterdown
- Flamborough
- Mountsberg
