Bone Grafting
Rebuilding the foundation for what comes next.
At a glance
- Socket preservation: protecting bone after extraction
- Ridge augmentation: increasing jawbone width or height
- Sinus lift: adding bone to the upper jaw
- Hospital procedure under sedation or GA
An inadequate amount of bone in your jaw can hinder restorative treatment plans such as dental implants, and may eventually make it impossible for you even to wear dentures. In these situations, it will usually be necessary for bone augmentation procedures to be completed as a preliminary step for dental implant surgery.
Jaw bone grafting procedures include socket preservation (protecting bone after extraction), ridge augmentation (increasing jawbone width or height), and sinus lift (adding bone to the upper jaw for implant support).
Techniques
Sinus lift, ridge augmentation and soft-tissue augmentation, used alone or in combination depending on what the site needs.
Graft material
Bone is typically taken from the chin or third-molar region and often combined with prepared graft material; larger cases occasionally use the hip.
Procedure & recovery
Performed in hospital under general anaesthetic or in rooms with sedation, usually followed by about a week of limited activity while healing begins.
Cover
Generally covered in part by Medicare and private health insurance where applicable.