Bone grafting is a procedure we are able to provide to patients who are experiencing bone loss in their jaw. This treatment adds density and volume to the affected areas. There are several different ways to develop a bone graft: by taking material from your own body (autogenous,) or purchased from animal (xenograft) or human (allograft) tissue banks. In certain situations, the bone graft may be synthetic (alloplast.)

A bone graft is placed to provide space for your own bone tissue to grow and regenerate. It may be used in combination with PRP (platelet rich plasma) which is taken from your own blood and injected back into the affected area to promote tissue regeneration so that your body may heal more quickly.

There are four main types of bone grafts:

• socket preservation: which fills the void after a tooth extraction and prevents socket caving.
• ridge augmentation: which adds volume and width to the jawbone to provide implants with a stable foundation.
• sinus lifts: which raise the sinuses back to their proper position after they have dropped due to missing upper back teeth. To avoid penetrating the sinus membrane, a sinus lift may be required prior to placing implants.
• periodontal bone grafting: which is used to provide additional support to an existing tooth that may have become loose due to erosion of the bone caused by gum disease.

Bone grafts usually need time to heal completely before an implant is placed. Even though bone grafting may seem intense or alarming, this procedure is extremely common and here at Centerline Dentistry, you can be assured that you are always in good hands.