A bone graft is a regenerative procedure that replaces bone lost due to disease, tooth extraction, or trauma. Preserving or replacing lost tooth-supporting bone, which is called the alveolar ridge, is important when providing support for either a dental implant or any other dental replacement.

The most common cause of alveolar bone loss is due to the extraction of the natural tooth. Bone loss can occur from the extraction procedure itself and continues to occur throughout life as bone no longer in function will resorb and not be replaced. This is why dentures become less usable and more difficult to fit over years of use. This is also why the sinus cavities enlarge downward after the extraction of the upper molars and premolars.

When you are evaluated for the possibility of using implants to replace missing teeth, the availability of bone is a primary criterion. Fortunately, bone lost from the dental ridge can be replaced by bone grafting procedures called Guided Bone Regeneration and Sinus Augmentation. Replacement graft materials can be obtained from your own mouth, or from FDA approved human or animal sources. Implants placed in conjunction with bone grafting are highly successful but usually require additional healing time.