Bone Grafting and Regeneration
What is a Bone Graft?
Bone grafting is a procedure during which additional bone (this is the bone graft) is inserted into your jawbone to create extra volume (height and width) of bone.
Bone grafting is usually done when there is not enough bone for a dental implant to be inserted and when bone is lost in cases of severe gum disease. Very often, gum grafting is also done concurrently with bone grafting procedures.
What causes bone loss?
There are a few possible reasons for jawbone loss:
- Tooth loss: Gum tissue grows faster than bone, thus when a tooth is lost, the gum invades the socket before the bone has a chance to regrow. Over time, the surrounding bone and gum also shrink because no biting force is present to maintain bone density when the tooth is absent.
- Gum (periodontal) disease
- Root canal infections/abscesses
- Bone cysts, tumours or metastatic cancers.
- Trauma
Are there different types of Bone Grafts?
- Autogenous bone grafts: derived from your own bone, which is harvested from another area of your body such as your chin or other areas of the body (the hip). Used when larger graft volume is needed.
- Allogenic bone grafts: bone harvested from a human cadaver which has been sterilized and processed to remove all proteins and leave behind only the mineral particles.
- Xenogenic bone grafts: bone harvested from another species (usually cow bone) that has been sterilized and processed to remove all proteins and leave behind only the mineral particles.
At Elite Dental Group, we generally use Autogenous and Xenogenic bone grafts . These bone grafts stimulates your own body to produce more native bone in addition to bulking up the grafted site.
When is bone grafting done?
Bone grafting is normally done in conjunction with extractions (socket preservation) and guided tissue regeneration for surgical treatment of severe gum disease.
Bone grafting is also done when implants are being placed. A major bone graft may need 3-6 months to heal before implants can be placed in the area.
Bone grafting is always done under local anaesthesia. Large grafts may require general anaesthesia and is done in a hospital OT setting or alternatively under intra-venous sedation done in our practice.
Frequently
Asked
Questions
Got questions? We’ve got answers! Check out our FAQ section for common inquiries and helpful information to guide you.
What is bone grafting?
Bone grafting is a surgical procedure used to repair or rebuild bones that are damaged, diseased, or missing. It is commonly performed in orthopedic surgery (for fractures, joint replacements, and spinal fusions), dental surgery (to prepare the jaw for implants or repair bone loss), and reconstructive surgery (after trauma or tumor removal).
The procedure involves placing bone material either from your own body, a donor, or a synthetic substitute into the area that needs repair, where it acts as a scaffold for new bone to grow.
What types of bone graft materials are available?
There are four main categories of bone graft materials:
Autograft (your own bone): Bone harvested from another site in your jaw, typically from the wisdom tooth area or the chin(iliac crest), is considered the “gold standard” because it contains living bone cells and growth factors. However, it requires a second surgical site and has limited availability. Success rate: 95%
Allograft (donor bone): Processed bone from human donors obtained through tissue banks. It is convenient, abundant, and avoids donor-site complications, but lacks living cells. Success rate: 97%
Xenograft (animal bone): Bone derived from animals (typically bovine or porcine) that has similar chemical composition to human bone and serves as a scaffold for new bone growth. Success rate: 95%
Synthetic bone substitutes: Man-made materials including calcium phosphate ceramics, hydroxyapatite, tricalcium phosphate, and bioactive glasses that provide structural support and promote bone formation. Success rate: 85–95%
How long does it take for bone grafts to heal?
Healing timelines vary depending on the type of graft, location, and size of the defect. Generally:
- Partial bone incorporation begins at approximately 1-2 months after surgery
- Complete bone union typically occurs between 5-9 months for most grafts
- Dental implants placed in grafted bone may require 4-6 months of healing before implant placement or loading
At Elite Dental Group, we offer plasma activation treatment, a special process that prepares bone graft materials to heal better and faster. It helps the graft bond more easily with your natural bone and delivers concentrated healing factors directly to the treatment area.
This treatment can speed up healing and recovery for dental implants placed in grafted bone by about 2 to 3 months.
What are the potential complications?
Complications can include:
- Infection at the graft site (approximately 3% overall incidence)
- Donor site pain and morbidity with autografts
- Graft resorption or incomplete incorporation
- Nonunion or delayed healing
- Immune response to allograft materials
Vascularized grafts show lower infection rates compared to non-vascularized grafts. Proper patient selection, surgical technique, and postoperative care significantly reduce complication risks.
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Elite Dental Group