Bone Grafting

Major & Minor Bone Grafting

Missing teeth over a period of time can cause your jaw bone to atrophy or reabsorb. This often results in poor quality and quantity of bone suitable for the placement of dental implants as well as long-term shifting of remaining teeth and changes to facial structure. In some cases, patients may not be candidates for dental implants.

Fortunately, we now have the ability to grow bone where it is needed. This gives us not only the opportunity to place implants of proper length and width but also a chance to restore functionality and aesthetic appearance.

Major Bone Grafting

Bone grafting can repair sites with inadequate bone structure due to previous extractions, gum disease, or injuries. 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 are also performed to replace bone in the posterior upper jaw. In addition, special membranes may be utilized that dissolve under the gum to 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, or congenital defects. Large defects are repaired using the patient’s own bone. This bone is harvested from a number of different areas depending on the size needed. The skull (cranium), hip (iliac crest), and lateral knee (tibia), are common donor sites. These procedures are routinely performed in an operating room and require a hospital stay.