Bone grafting restores the height and width of the jaw where bone has been lost, so implants can be placed securely. Planned on a 3D CBCT scan.
When a tooth is lost, the bone that held it begins to shrink. Over months and years the ridge becomes narrower and shorter, and it can reach the point where there isn't enough bone left to hold a dental implant. Gum disease, infection, injury and long-term denture wear cause bone loss too. A bone graft rebuilds the missing volume so an implant can be placed in the right position, with enough bone around it to stay healthy.
Types of bone graft
Graft material acts as a scaffold. Your body gradually replaces it with your own new bone over several months. Surgeons choose the material and technique for each site:
- Particulate grafts use granules of processed donor bone (from a tissue bank), bovine bone or a synthetic material, often covered with a protective membrane. They are the most common choice for small and moderate defects.
- Ridge augmentation builds up a narrow or short ridge, sometimes using a titanium mesh or a tented membrane to hold space while the bone forms.
- Autogenous grafts use a small amount of your own bone, usually from nearby in the jaw, for larger or more demanding defects.
- Socket preservation places graft material at the time of an extraction to limit shrinkage before it starts.
In the upper back jaw, where the sinus sits above the bone, a sinus lift adds height from above. Many grafts are combined with platelet-rich fibrin, made from your own blood, to support healing.
Planned on a 3D scan
At Molly, every graft is planned on a 3D cone-beam CT (CBCT) scan, which measures bone height, width and density and shows the nerve and sinus. Your surgeon plans the final implant position first, then works out exactly how much bone is needed and where. Small grafts can often be placed at the same visit as the implant. Larger grafts are placed first and allowed to heal, usually for four to nine months, before the implant goes in.
Most grafts are done under local anesthetic, with IV sedation available and continuous monitoring throughout. Grafting a single site often takes 30 to 60 minutes.
What healing is like
Expect swelling and tenderness for a few days, sometimes with bruising for larger grafts. Most people return to work the next day or within two to three days. You may notice a few small granules of graft material in your mouth during the first week, which is normal. Keeping pressure off the site matters: soft foods, no smoking and following your instructions give the graft the best chance to mature.
Grafts don't always take fully, and sometimes a small touch-up graft is needed. Your surgeon checks progress with X-rays or a follow-up scan before any implant is placed. As always, you'll get one written quote covering the graft, the implant and every visit in between.
