Bone Grafting

Bone Grafting Overview

For a brief narrated overview of the bone grafting process, please click the image on the right. It will launch our flash educational MiniModule in a separate window that may answer some of your questions about bone grafting.

Having trouble? Please make sure you have version 7 of the Flash browser plugin in order to correctly view this presentation. This software is available as a free download.

Bone grafting refers to the process of adding or building up bone in an area of bone deficiency. The bone that is added is the termed the graft, and the deficient area is the recipient site for the graft. Bone deficiency in the jaw regions is usually the result of resorption, or melting away, of bone after teeth have been removed. Once teeth are removed, there is no stimulus to maintain bone in the area of tooth loss, so the bone begins to slowly melt away, or resorb. This process begins shortly after tooth removal and can become very severe over a period of months or years.

This process of bone resorption becomes a problem if it results in insufficient bone to allow for replacement of teeth, particularly if dental implants are to be placed (see section on dental implants). One of the most critical factors when considering dental implant treatment is the amount of bone available to support the implant itself. Both the height and width of bone must be satisfactory. Bone grafting can improve the quantity (and quality) of available bone for placement of dental implants at sites that otherwise would be unsuitable for implant placement.

Several sources of bone grafting material are presently available. Processed bone is available from cow and human sources; such bone is carefully screened and treated in such a manner to remove or inactivate infectious diseases and is considered very safe. The most effective graft material; however, is a patient’s own bone, obtained from a donor site elsewhere in the body. Very frequently, we can obtain enough bone from a donor site in the upper and/or lower jaws to accomplish the necessary grafting procedure. Most commonly, bone is taken from the lower jaw in the chin area or from just behind the molar teeth. Such bone grafts typically heal very well at the recipient site and leave no permanent defect at the donor site(s).

Bone grafting is often performed as a separate procedure in preparation for dental implant placement, allowing then a healing period of several months before returning to the site for the implant procedure.

As with any surgical procedure, there are risks and potential complications associated with bone grafting. The treating doctor discusses this information, as well as the expected postoperative course, with each patient at a pre-surgical consultation appointment.