Bone Grafting

Bone Grafting

Bone loss is the jaw bone can be commonplace when teeth have been lost in accidents or through decay. Without a tooth in place in the jaw, the bone around the missing tooth begins to deteriorate. As time goes on the bone loss may progress to such an extent that there may be insufficient bone in which to attach a dental implant. In such a case your dentist may recommend a bone grafting procedure. Bone grafting is the replacement or enhancement of lost bone in the jaw around the teeth.

The three types of bone graft procedures are: autogenous, allograft, and xenograft.

Autogenous grafts take healthy bone from one part of the patient’s body and transplant it to the location in the mouth being repaired. The bone is usually taken from non-essential areas in the jaw such as the chin. In an autogenous bone graft the benefit is the body is much more likely to accept bone coming solely from the patient’s own body. This reduces the chances of rejection or infection. The still-living bone material still contains active cellular material.

Allografts also use human donor bone matter transplanted into the area of the mouth being treated. An allograft does not use bone from the patient’s body. It instead uses bone donated to medical science located in bone-banks. Donor allograft bone material is carefully selected and is extremely safe. Xenografts also replace bone in the area needing treatment, however the bone will come from a source that is non-human. Typically the source will be bovine (cow) bone. Allografts and Xenografts are used as an alternative when large amounts of bone are needed or to avoid a secondary surgical location at the harvest site.