Bone Grafting

Following the loss of a tooth or teeth the bone naturally begins to resorb. Over time this can result in insufficient bone for placement of dental implants. Bone grafting allows us to replace this missing bone and place implants in the ideal position in order to restore function and esthetics.

What are the different types of bone grafts?

There are different types of bone grafts including autogenous, allogeneic, and xenogeneic.

Autogeneous bone grafts are obtained from the patient. Typically this bone is harvested from the chin, jaw, lower leg, hip, or skull. This is by far the most predictable graft and is used whenever possible in our office.

Allogeneic bone grafts are obtained from cadavers and processed in a very specific manner to prevent disease transmission. The advantage of this graft is the elimination of a secondary harvest site. The disadvantage however is it does not produce bone but instead acts as a scaffold and allows your body to build and replace the bone over several months.

Xenogeneic bone grafts are derived from different species most commonly bovine or porcine. Like allogeneic bone grafts, xenogeneic grafts do not form bone but instead act as a scaffold and allows for the building and replacing of bone over several months.

Our practice has extensive experience in grafting and will determine which type of graft is right for you.