Dental Bone Graft

What is a dental bone graft?

A dental bone graft is a type of oral surgery that increases the volume and density of your jaw. A healthcare provider adds powdered bone grafting material (natural or lab-made) to areas where you have lost or thinning bone.

Dental bone grafting holds space in your jaw so your own body can do the repair work. It’s like a scaffold on which your own bone tissue can grow and regenerate.

Types of dental bone grafting material include:

• Allograft: Human bone purchased from a licensed donor bank.
• Alloplast: Lab-made dental bone substitute. (Hydroxyapatite, a naturally occurring mineral, is one example.)
• Autogenous: Your own bone, taken from another area of your body.
• Xenograft: Animal-derived bone purchased from a licensed donor bank. Bovine (cow bone) and porcine (pig bone) are common examples.

What conditions are managed with a dental bone graft?

Dental bone grafting can:

• Fill in an empty tooth socket after an extraction.
• Increase the width and volume of your jawbone.
• Lift maxillary sinuses (the sinus cavities below your eyes and alongside your nose). This is necessary before dental implants in some situations.
• Provide a strong foundation for dental implants.
• Rebuild your jaw before getting dentures.
• Repair damaged bone from dental trauma.
• Stabilize and support loose teeth.
• Treat bone loss due to infections like gum disease.

How common are dental bone grafts?

Dental bone grafts are very common. Dentists and specialists (like oral surgeons or periodontists) do these procedures routinely. Providers currently place about 2.2 million bone grafts every year, globally.

What happens during a dental bone grafting procedure?

Exact steps vary depending on where you need the bone graft. The following is a general outline of what you can expect during your procedure.

During dental bone grafting, your provider will:

1. Numb your gums with local anesthetic. (If you opted to be put to sleep for surgery, your provider will give you sedation meds, too.)
2. Make an incision (cut) in your gums.
3. Gently move your gums away from your jawbone.
4. Clean and disinfect the area.
5. Add dental bone grafting material to areas of bone loss.
6. Cover the bone graft with a membrane (also purchased from a tissue bank) to protect it. Many membranes absorb and go away on their own during healing. Others don’t. So, your provider might need to remove it during a follow-up visit.
7. Reposition your gums.
8. Close the incision with stitches.

In some cases, your provider might add platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to your dental bone graft. Your provider gets the PRP from a sample of your own blood and uses it to promote healing and tissue regeneration.

How painful is a dental bone graft?

Dental bone grafting is a relatively minor procedure. Most people who have dental bone grafts report little to no pain. Just be sure you take all medications as prescribed and follow your post-op instructions closely.

What are the potential benefits of a dental bone graft?

Dental bone grafts can increase your eligibility for dental implants and other restorative treatments. This procedure restores your jaw to its original form following trauma, tooth loss or gum disease.

How successful are dental bone grafts?

Dental bone grafts have success rates up to 100%, depending on the type. However, as with any procedure, failure is a possibility — especially among people who smoke or have certain medical conditions. Signs of dental bone graft failure include:

• Pain or swelling that worsens after the first week.
• Pus or drainage from the bone graft site.
• Gum recession (when your gums pull away from your teeth).
• No improvement in jawbone volume.

What are the risks or complications of dental bone grafts?

Bone grafting for teeth is generally safe. But, like any surgery, the procedure carries some risks, including:

• Anesthesia complications.
• Infection.
• Nerve damage.
• Severe bleeding.

How long does it take to recover from a dental bone graft?

It depends on the size of the bone graft. Initial recovery takes about a week, but the bone graft itself needs at least three months to heal. If you need a large bone graft, it may take nine to 12 months to heal.

What are the side effects of a dental bone graft?

After dental bone grafting, normal side effects include tenderness, swelling and bruising. These should go away within a week or two. In the meantime, you can manage any discomfort with over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers. Your provider might also prescribe antibiotics to reduce your risk of post-op infection.

You might lose small bone fragments from the surgical site over the first few days. These fragments look like grains of sand or salt. This is normal during dental bone graft recovery and usually isn’t a cause for concern. But if you lose a large amount of bone fragments, let your healthcare provider know.

Is there anything I can do to make this treatment easier on me?

Your provider will give you post-op instructions specific to your case. Below are some general guidelines for what to do (and what not to do) after getting a dental bone graft.

Do:

• Apply ice packs to your outer jaw to reduce swelling.
• Eat soft foods for a few days.
• Elevate your head to reduce swelling.
• Follow your provider’s post-op instructions.
• Keep the surgical site clean.
• Take all medications as prescribed.

Don’t:

• Disturb the surgical site.
• Drink beverages containing alcohol for at least two weeks.
• Exercise or lift anything heavy for at least 48 hours after surgery.
• Spit or swish vigorously.
• Smoke or vape.

How long does a dental bone graft last?

A dental bone graft can last a lifetime. But if you don’t use it, you lose it. Here’s an example: If your provider places a bone graft in preparation for an implant later, there’s a time limit on how long you can wait in between. Once your bone graft heals, it’s best to get your dental implant within six to 12 months. Otherwise, your new bone graft will start to shrink and lose density.

When should I call my healthcare provider?

Call your provider if you have a dental bone graft and develop:

• Fever of 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38.3 degrees Celsius) or higher.
• Increased swelling.
• Pus (infection) around the grafting site.
• Severe pain.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Jawbone loss is detrimental to your oral health and can cause a domino effect of problems, including mobility and tooth loss. Dental bone grafts help improve your candidacy for dental implants and other restorative procedures. If you think you have jawbone deterioration, dental surgery can restore your oral health, function and overall quality of life.