
Bone grafting may seem like a scary procedure, but it is actually predictable and painless. A great amount of dental bone grafting procedures are done to restore the bone to its natural form following tooth loss, gum disease or trauma. Bone grafting is also used to uphold bone structure after tooth extraction.
Examples of Bone Grafts:
Autogenous Bone Graft: This type of bone graft is harvested from the patient’s own body and produces the most predictable results.
Allograft Bone Graft: This type of graft uses cadaver or synthetic bone.
Xenograft: Cow bone is used in this type of graft.
The healing process:
During the healing process, the patient’s cells drift into the allograft material and transform it into new bone. Over time, the host bone will alter to replace the allograft. After the healing process, the repaired jaw will have adequate room for placement of a dental implant to replace the absent tooth.