Bone Grafting

Treatment for Bone Loss

A bone graft promotes bone growth in the area where an implant is to be placed, ensuring a healthy and stable implant site that will last.

Our oral surgery specialists are qualified to perform many types of bone graft procedures. Bone grafts help ensure your future implants are stable, seamless, and promote the health of your jaw bone and overall oral health, too! Schedule an appointment at our Stonestown (on Buckingham Way), Van Ness (on Daniel Burnham Court), or West Portal (on W. Portal Avenue) office to talk with our doctors and learn about how you might benefit from a bone grafting procedure.

Understanding How a Bone Graft Works

When a tooth is removed or a permanent tooth fails to develop in the appropriate position, the tooth-supporting bone of the jaw begins to atrophy, or melt away. This leads to the bone in your jaw being unstable, weakened, and often unable to support a dental implant.

The bone graft is placed in the area that will receive the implant. Then, it becomes a platform for the nearby bone to grow as new bone eventually replaces the graft material. A bone graft is designed to maintain and regrow bone so that you can be a qualified candidate for dental implants.

It’s typical to wonder where a bone graft comes from. In most cases, your oral surgeon will use a particulate freeze-dried bone from a tissue bank or a bone mineral substitute. If a large quantity of bone is needed, the material is taken from your own bone either inside the mouth, from your hip, or from the tibia at the knee.

Keep in mind that oral surgeons undergo many additional years of advanced medical training and hands-on experience outside of regular dental school and are qualified to perform these procedures. The best way to find out the treatment plan that is right for you is to contact one of our offices and set up a consultation.

Types of Bone Grafting Treatments

Depending on your condition, your oral surgeon might perform these procedures separately or during the same visit. Typically, they are performed separately from a dental implant procedure.

Ridge Augmentation

In severe atrophy cases, the ridge gets resorbed, and a bone graft is placed to increase the height and/or width of the ridge.

Sinus Lift

This involves elevating the sinus membrane and placing the bone graft onto the sinus floor, allowing implants to be placed in the back part of the upper jaw effectively.

Socket Preservation

Once a tooth is extracted, artificial bone is placed in the socket as a placeholder to preserve the gum tissue and bone for a future implant.

Nerve Repositioning

The inferior alveolar nerve gives feeling to the lower lip and chin and may need to be moved to make room to place a dental implant in the lower jaw.