The best way to find out if you are a candidate for a dental bone grafting procedure is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Lee. During the appointment, we will take a series of scans and x-rays to assess the density of your jawbone and recommend the best course of treatment. We recommend you address any underlying oral health issues, such as periodontal disease or root canal infection, before beginning any stage of dental implant treatment.

Depending on the location of your tissue loss and how extensive the degeneration is, Dr. Lee can recommend one of several types of dental bone grafts. In some cases, a combination of two or more grafts is necessary to fully prepare your jaw for dental implant placement surgery.

Socket grafts are also known as alveolar ridge preservation grafts because they are typically performed after a tooth extraction. The grafting material helps preserve the space left behind by the tooth to prevent degeneration. For most patients, it takes between three and six months after a ridge graft is performed before an implant can be placed.

In cases of more extensive deterioration, Dr. Lee can perform a block bone graft. Also referred to as an autogenous ramus or chin graft, this procedure uses a relatively small block of bone to restore larger areas of tissue deficit. The bone is harvested from the chin or the mandibular ramus area behind the second molars. After about four months, the bone fuses with the surrounding tissue, allowing implant placement.

Sinus lifts, or subantral grafts, are used when the sinus floor rests too closely to the upper jaw for implant placement. During this procedure, the sinus floor is gently lifted away from the jaw and the space is packed with grafting material to maintain the new position. It generally takes six to nine months for patients to heal sufficiently after a sinus lift.