Bone Grafting
Over a period of time, the jawbone associated with missing teeth atrophies and is reabsorbed. This often results in poor quality and quantity of bone suitable for the placement of dental implants. In these situations, most patients are not candidates for implant placement.​
With bone grafting, we now have the opportunity to not only replace bone where it is missing, but also to promote new bone growth in that location. This allows us to place implants of proper length and width, while also restoring both functionality and aesthetic appearance.
Primary Reasons for Bone Grafting
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Tooth Loss: When a tooth is lost or extracted, bone grafting may be needed to restore lost bone and support future dental restorations.
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Gum Disease: Advanced periodontal disease can weaken the jawbone. Bone grafting helps rebuild bone integrity in affected areas.
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Trauma or Injury: Facial trauma may cause bone damage or loss, requiring grafting to repair and rebuild the affected site.
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Infection: Infections in the jaw can deteriorate bone tissue. Bone grafting may be required to restore structure and promote healing.
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Dental Implants: In some cases, there isn’t enough natural bone to place implants. Grafting helps create a strong foundation for successful implant placement.
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Why Might I Require a Bone Graft Before Getting Dental Implants?
Undergoing a bone grafting procedure becomes necessary when the jaw lacks adequate bone volume or density. By augmenting the jaw with bone grafting, it provides a stable foundation for dental implants, ensuring their long-term success.
​​​Types of Bone Grafting
Bone grafting can enhance implant sites with inadequate bone structure due to previous extractions, gum disease, or injuries. We typically use your own bone or donor bone.
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Your own bone can be taken from the jaw, hip, or tibia (below the knee). This autogenous bone graft is advantageous because the graft material is living bone, meaning it contains living cellular elements that enhance bone growth and result in more predictable healing with a lower risk of infection.
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As a substitute for using real bone, many bone graft substitutes are available as a safe and proven alternative. However, unlike autogenous bone, substitute bone cannot produce new bone on its own. Rather, it serves as a framework or scaffold over which bone from the surrounding area can grow to fill the defect.
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The advantage of substitute bone is that it does not require a second surgical site to harvest bone, as is needed with natural grafting. However, because these options lack living bone’s regenerative properties, bone regeneration may take longer and the outcome can be less predictable than with autogenous bone.
Bone grafting is an oral surgical procedure sometimes required in patients whose jawbones are insufficient in either height or width to support dental implants. Because the only function of the alveolar bone in the jaw is to support the teeth, the body quickly begins to resorb this bone if teeth are missing. Without an adequate amount of jawbone, dental implants cannot be placed.