Minor Bone Grafting

In cases where one or few teeth are missing but there is severe enough bone loss that interferes with placement of dental implants, bone grafting is necessary to regain this lost bone.  Bone graft can be placed to increase the height but most commonly the width of the jaw bones.  This can be done by using bone from a tissue bank or a patient’s own bone.  Bone graft from a patient is usually obtained from the patient’s jaw bone such as the third molar region, the chin, or behind the last tooth in the upper jaw.  The bone graft is then secured to the area of interest and allowed to heal for a period of five to six months before dental implants are placed.

These procedures are commonly performed in our office as an outpatient surgery under IV sedation or general anesthesia.

In cases where the issue is severe bone loss in large areas, then major bone grafting may be performed to augment these areas and rebuild lost bone.