Why do you need bone grafting?

You may have been told you need bone grafting for either a tooth extraction site or for implant placement and preparation. I’ve seen ads where they state that no bone grafting is necessary. While I understand that the thought of bone grafting is not appealing, it is vital for optimal results for many situations. For example, if an implant is placed in a site where the bone is lacking it can greatly impact the esthetics in a negative way. The implant crown may make the tooth seem much too long compared to the adjacent teeth or the gums may look discolored or misshapen. When the bone height is limited, a shorter implant must be placed which may affect the long term stability and success of the implant. Once a tooth is extracted, the vast majority of subsequent bone loss occurs during the first year. A bone graft can help slow down the bone loss in the area and help maintain the foundation in the area. There are three types of bone grafts which can be recommended. Firstly, autogenous bone is taken from the patient’s own body and is an excellent graft material. An allograft is taken from purified cadaver bone. A xenograft is taken from other sources, mainly bovine (cow) bone. An experienced implant surgeon will know when a bone graft is necessary and will definitely recommend it when necessary. As an implant dentist in Riverside, I give free consultations for implant and cosmetics for those that can visit my Riverside office.