Bone Grafting – What does bone grafting involve?
There are several types of bone grafts. Your dentist will determine the best type for your particular condition. • Autogenous Bone Graft – Harvested from the patient’s own body (usually from the posterior part of the lower jaw or the chin). This method is usually preferred because it produces the most predictable results. • Allograft Bone Graft – Cadaver or synthetic bone is used in this type of graft. • Xenograft – Cow bone is used in this type of graft. The bone grafting procedure can often take several months to complete. Bone is typically harvested from your own body (or on rare occasions obtained from a “bone bank”) and added to the affected site. This bone will fuse with the existing bone and the migration of cells will cause firm adhesion and cell growth. Supplementing the jaw with bone will result in greater bone mass to help support and anchor the implant(s). During the surgery, the dentist will numb the grafting and extraction sites using local anesthetic. A small incision wi
