Major Bone Grafting

Bone grafting can repair implant sites with inadequate bone structure due to previous extractions, gum disease or injuries. When the bone is thin, it is not possible to place dental implants.  Dental implants need bone to hold them in place. The bone is either obtained from a tissue bank or your own bone is taken from the jaw, hip or tibia (below the knee).  Sinus bone grafts (sinus lift) are also performed to replace bone in the area of the back teeth of the upper jaw. In addition, special membranes may be utilized that dissolve under the gum and protect the bone graft and encourage bone regeneration. This is called guided bone regeneration or guided tissue regeneration.

Major bone grafts are typically performed to repair defects of the jaws. These defects may arise as a result of traumatic injuries, tumor surgery, congenital defects, or simply by having missing teeth for a long period of time. Large defects are repaired using the patient’s own bone, bone from a tissue bank, or a combination of both.  Depending on the jaw defect, these procedures may be performed in an outpatient setting or in an operating room, which sometimes may require a hospital stay.