Emerging technology in the surgery field has risen in the 21st century. Technology has led to the production of surgical tools that have further eased surgery and made procedures that seemed impossible possible.

Statistics done by the U.S Bureau of labor indicate that there are 38,600 practicing surgeons in the U.S as of 2017. With the increase in emerging technologies for surgery, the number of surgeons will grow exponentially by over 5%.

One of these emerging technologies is bone grafting technology, a technique that oversees transplantation for bone repair. In this case, the allograft is bone tissue. It is worth noting that over 2 million bone graft surgery procedures have been successful.

Before we even delve into details, what is bone grafting? Read on to find out.

Bone grafting is the transplantation of a bone allograft or autograft to repair complex bone tissues. The procedure aims at replacing missing bones that are incredibly complex, posing as a health risk to a patient if not corrected.

This procedure is often successful for minor or acute fractures, with the risk being higher for compound fractures.

The common types of bone grafts are allografts, synthetic bone, and autografts. The difference between the three is, an allograft is from a donor of the same species but genetically different. While an autograph is from the same patient.

On the other hand, a synthetic bone made by bone graft manufacturers is typically from hydroxyapatite and biocompatible naturally occurring substances. The substances need to be biocompatible to ensure the reabsorption of the graft by the body for regeneration purposes.

The type of bone graft surgery you’ll undergo depends on your surgeon’s advice and the kind of tissue your surgeon is repairing.

Patients suffering from bone loss through diseases or bone damage should undergo bone graft surgery. Also, this technique provides structural support for implanted devices.

Cases where bone grafting is necessary include dental injury, minor and compound bone fractures, bone tumors, bone cysts, severe injuries, tooth decay, and diseased joints.

For this procedure, surgeons use a bone graft delivery system. An example of a bone graft delivery device is a bone funnel.

The specific method picked for transplanting bone grafts depends on the part of your body, age, and general health condition. Most surgeries associated with bone grafting are reconstructive or replacement surgeries.

The surgery involves an incision in the skin slightly above the fractured area. After the incision, your surgeon shapes the graft to fit in the incised area. The graft is then held in position by bone grafting delivery devices. The last step is stitching the incision.

After a procedure, the patient’s natural bone will regenerate growing around the bone graft. The graft then integrates with the bone and gets absorbed by the body. It takes at least three months for the graft to heal and six months for the natural bone to regenerate. However, most patients gradually resume their activities after two weeks of healing.

The recovery process depends on many variables from the size of the graft, your health condition, age, and other variables. However, to quicken the recovery process, avoid engaging in vigorous activities. Also, follow your surgeon’s instructions.

Statistics indicate that the prognosis of this procedure is generally good, with patients showing the success of the surgery with minimal risks of complications.

Bone grafting in dental complications improves the function and aesthetics of crowns, dentures, and implants. It also eliminates any future bone loss problem.

In spinal surgery, bone grafting helps fix spine conditions through spinal fusion. Other surgeries that benefit from bone grafting technology include hip replacement surgery and shoulder surgery.

Synthetic bone grafting technology has proved effective in reconstruction, especially in the sports industry. Athletes can now undergo successful surgeries and reduce the risk of encountering career-ending injuries. Also, bone grafting has shaped the repair of a wide range of fractures.