Bone grafting is rarely the treatment someone comes in asking for, but it is often the step that makes implants possible. When a tooth has been missing for a while, or gum disease has taken bone away, the jaw can be too thin or too short for an implant to sit securely. Rebuilding that bone first gives the implant a proper foundation.
In my experience patients worry far more about grafting than the procedure deserves. Most of the grafts we place are small, done under local anaesthetic, and heal quietly over three to six months. We use Bio-Oss with a Bio-Gide collagen membrane, materials with decades of published results, and a synthetic alternative is available if you would prefer it.
“An implant is only as good as the bone it sits in, so this is never a step I skip to save time.”
— Dr. Murray Pratt, Principal Dentist & Clinical Director
My recommendationIf you know a tooth is coming out and you may want an implant later, ask about preserving the socket at the same appointment. Keeping the bone on the day of extraction is far simpler than rebuilding it a year later.
Questions patients ask me
Do I definitely need a graft before implants?
Not always. I decide from a CT scan, not a guess. Many patients have enough bone, and where a modest amount of width is missing the graft and the implant can often be placed at the same visit.
How will I know it has worked?
We check the gums at around three months and confirm the new bone on X-rays before any implant is placed. If the bone has not matured enough, we wait rather than proceed.
What is recovery like?
The gum heals within a week or two. Avoid strenuous exercise for the first few days, and most patients are back to their normal routine within a fortnight.
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