If you are planning to get dental implants, your dentist may recommend a bone graft first. Here is what the procedure involves, why it is needed, and what recovery looks like.
Why Bone Is Lost After Tooth Loss
The roots of your natural teeth continuously stimulate the jawbone, keeping it dense and strong. When a tooth is removed, this stimulation stops and the bone begins to resorb — shrinking in volume over time. The longer a gap is left without a tooth, the more bone is lost. Missing teeth, gum disease, and injury can all result in insufficient bone volume to support an implant.
What a Bone Graft Involves
A bone graft adds bone material to the area where the implant will be placed, allowing the jaw to regenerate and build up sufficient density. Graft material can come from your own body (autograft), a tissue bank (allograft), animal sources (xenograft), or synthetic materials. Your dentist will recommend the most appropriate option for your situation. The graft material acts as a scaffold that your own bone grows into over several months.
Types of Bone Grafts in Dentistry
Socket preservation grafts are placed immediately after extraction to minimize bone loss. Ridge augmentation grafts rebuild a jawbone that has already lost significant volume. Sinus lifts add bone below the sinus floor for upper jaw implants. Each has a specific indication and involves a somewhat different procedure and recovery time.
Recovery and Timeline
Most bone grafts require a healing period of 3-9 months before an implant can be placed, depending on the size of the graft and individual healing. During this time, the graft integrates with your natural bone. Recovery after a graft is typically straightforward — most patients manage discomfort with over-the-counter pain medication and resume normal activities within a few days. Ask your dentist at Smileworks Dental in Calgary whether a bone graft is part of your implant treatment plan.