Bone Grafting

To make dental implant be successful, the patient must have sufficient jawbone to put the implant into. Usually the quality and quantity of bone in the jaw is reflective of how the bone healed after the tooth was removed, and not an underlying medical condition.

According to past typical assumption, if a patient did not have enough jawbone, implants would not be the best way. Nowadays, however, thanks to the massive advances in dental techniques and technology, patients with insufficient jawbone can have the bone rebuilt using "bone grafting".

Bone grafting also helps restore facial collapse, filling out the face and making the patient look younger.

To replace missing bone or add to existing bone is often essential to the success of a dental implant and the ensuing restoration. The techniques for this are well documented and should be used when indicated by any dentist who places dental implants. Most of us will have a good idea when additional bone or bone repair will be necessary before actually starting the placement of a dental implant and the patients should be informed of this possibility. However, we sometimes get fooled and run into areas where unexpected bone grafting is indicated.