Bone Grafting/Immediate Implant Placement

A bone graft is a surgical procedure that replaces missing bone with material from the patient's own body or an artificial, synthetic, or natural substitute. The graft not only replaces missing bone, but also helps your body to regenerate its own bone. This new bone growth strengthens the grafted area by forming a bridge between your existing bone and the graft material. This bone loss can be reversed. Over time your own newly formed bone will replace much of the grafted material.

When permanent teeth are extracted the bone around the tooth, called alveolar bone, will dissolve. This often leaves a condition in which there is poor quality and quantity of bone suitable for placement of dental implants. In these situations, many patients are not candidates for placement of dental implants. However, a bone graft can be done at the time of the tooth extraction and preserve this bone.

We now have the ability to grow bone where needed. This gives us the opportunity to place implants of proper length and width, and it also gives us a chance to more effectively restore esthetic appearance and functionality.