Patient Education Guide on Bone Grafts

"Why do I need a bone graft?"

If, after tooth extraction, the walls of the socket (the site where the tooth was removed) are very thick, they will usually fill with bone in three months. However, if the walls of your socket are very thin (such as in your upper and lower front teeth), then this type of healing will not be as predictable.

Sometimes a bone graft is placed at the time of tooth extraction to help your body fill in the socket with bone. This step will maintain the width or volume of bone you will need for implant placement. It is most commonly performed on thin-walled extraction sockets, especially in such visible areas as the front of the mouth.

Three Types of Bone Grafts


1. Bio-Col Bone Graft 
Immediately after tooth removal, bovine bone graft particles are placed into the extraction site to help preserve bone width. (May prevent necessity for Ramus Veneer Bone Grafting.)

Healing time = 3 months
Type of Anesthesia: General (ie to be asleep) recommended.
Local or Nitrous are other options.

2. Ramus Veneer Bone Graft
A thin wedge of bone is removed from the wisdom tooth area and grafted to reconstruct bone width that has previously been lost from tooth removal or infection.

Healing time = 3 months
Type of Anesthesia: General (ie to be asleep) recommended.
Local or Nitrous are other options.

3. Sinus Lift Bone Graft
A small window is opened into the sinus, and bovine bone particles are grafted to reconstruct vertical bone height that has previously been lost from tooth removal or infection.

Healing time = 6 months
Type of Anesthesia: General (ie to be asleep) recommended.
Local or Nitrous are other options.