Bone grafting for a strong foundation.

Why bone grafting?

A dental implant needs enough healthy bone to hold it securely. After a tooth is lost, or after years of gum disease or denture wear, the jawbone can shrink. If you have been told you are an unlikely candidate for implants because of bone loss, grafting may change that. Dr. Agrawal has advanced training in bone grafting techniques.

Bone grafting adds bone, from your own body or from a donor source, to areas of deficient bone. Over the following months it becomes a solid part of your jaw and a strong foundation for implants.

Sinus lift

The maxillary sinuses sit behind the cheeks, above the upper back teeth. When those teeth are lost, often only a thin layer of bone remains between the sinus and the mouth, too thin to hold an implant. In a sinus lift, the sinus membrane is gently lifted and bone graft material is placed beneath it. Over a few months the new bone becomes part of the jaw, allowing implants to be placed and stabilized.

When there is enough bone between the sinus and the ridge, the sinus lift can sometimes be performed at the same visit as implant placement. Otherwise the graft is placed first and allowed to heal for several months before the implants.

Ridge expansion

When the jaw ridge is too narrow to hold an implant, it can be widened and filled with graft material to create enough width for implant placement.

Will you use my own bone?

Grafts from your own bone, called autografts, contain living cells that enhance bone growth, but they require a second procedure to harvest the bone. When that is not advisable, alternative sources can be used: allograft bone from a human donor, processed for safety, or xenograft bone from another species, such as bovine bone, processed to prevent rejection. These act as a framework that your own bone grows into.

Are there alternatives to real bone?

Several synthetic options have been proven safe, including demineralized bone matrix, available as a powder, putty or gel, and graft composites that combine graft materials with growth factors. In some cases, bone morphogenetic proteins can be used to promote new bone formation and healing.

What is recovery like?

Plan to rest for the first day after your grafting procedure, then resume normal activities gradually, limiting physical activity for the first week. Most patients report moderate discomfort and some swelling for the first few days, managed with prescribed medication. Recovery time depends on the extent of the procedure.

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