What Is Bone Grafting?
Bone grafting is a procedure that rebuilds or strengthens the jawbone when it has lost volume or density, creating a stable foundation for dental implants, healthier teeth, or improved facial structure. It uses grafting material, often combined with growth factors, to encourage your body to regenerate its own natural bone over time.
We recommend bone grafting when the jawbone has shrunk after tooth loss, gum disease, injury, or long term denture wear. Without enough bone, implants cannot be placed safely, and surrounding teeth lose support. Grafting restores what was lost so the rest of your treatment can succeed.
Patients typically come to us for bone grafting after losing a tooth, before planning an implant, or after another provider has told them they do not have enough bone for implants. In many cases, that is not the end of the story, it is the starting point.
Benefits, Why MD Periodontics
- Makes implants possible, even when other providers have said there is not enough bone to place them
- Preserves facial structure, jawbone loss causes the face to look sunken over time, and grafting protects your natural profile
- Protects surrounding teeth, healthy bone supports neighboring teeth, and reduces the risk of further tooth loss
- Uses advanced regenerative techniques, including growth factors and minimally invasive grafting methods that speed healing
- Whole body healing approach, we use biocompatible materials and support your immune system and nutrition to help your body regenerate optimally
- Beverly Hills specialist expertise, Dr. Moshrefi has decades of advanced surgical training in bone regeneration, and Dr. Daneshmand brings USC-trained precision and a holistic philosophy to every grafting plan we design together
Who Is a Candidate?
Most patients with jawbone loss are candidates for grafting. The right approach depends on how much bone is missing, where it is missing from, and your overall health, all of which we evaluate carefully during your consultation.
You may be an ideal candidate if you:
- Have lost a tooth and want to preserve the bone for a future implant
- Have been told you do not have enough bone for implants
- Have worn dentures for years and noticed your jaw and face changing shape
- Have advanced gum disease that has damaged the bone supporting your teeth
- Need a sinus lift to place upper back implants
- Want to rebuild the natural shape of your jaw and smile
Patients with uncontrolled diabetes, active gum infection, heavy smoking habits, certain autoimmune conditions, or medications that affect bone healing may need additional evaluation or preparatory care before grafting.
The Process
- Consultation and 3D Imaging. We begin with a comprehensive exam, a full medical history review, and a 3D cone-beam CT scan. This shows us exactly how much bone is present, where it is missing, and how to rebuild it most effectively.
- Personalized Treatment Plan. Together, we map out your case, including the type of graft material, the technique, and how grafting fits into your larger treatment goals. We review the timeline, comfort options, and the plan’s support for your overall wellness.
- Bone Grafting Procedure. Using precise surgical techniques, we place the graft material in the deficient area, sometimes combined with a protective membrane and growth factors to enhance healing. Most procedures are completed comfortably under local anesthesia, with sedation available.
- Healing and Regeneration. Your body slowly replaces the graft material with your own natural bone over 3 to 9 months, depending on the size and location of the graft. We monitor healing with follow-up visits and imaging as needed.
- Next Phase of Treatment. Once the bone has fully matured, you are ready for the next step, typically implant placement, periodontal repair, or restorative work supported by the new bone.
Recovery and What to Expect
Most patients return to normal activities within 24 to 48 hours. Mild swelling, bruising, and tenderness are common for the first few days and respond well to ice, rest, and over-the-counter pain relievers. Larger grafts may involve a longer initial recovery.
Aftercare basics:
- Stick to soft foods for the first week, longer for larger grafts
- Avoid the surgical site when brushing for several days, then resume gentle cleaning
- Rinse with warm salt water as we direct
- Skip strenuous exercise for 5 to 7 days
- Avoid smoking, which dramatically reduces graft success
- Avoid blowing your nose forcefully after a sinus lift
- Keep all follow-up appointments so we can monitor regeneration
Call our office if you experience heavy bleeding that does not slow within an hour, severe pain not relieved by medication, fever over 101°F, persistent numbness, drainage from the site, or swelling that worsens after day three.
FAQ
Graft material can come from your own body, a tissue bank, an animal source, or a synthetic ceramic. We discuss the options together and choose the material that best fits your case, your health, and your personal preferences, including metal free and holistically minded options.
Graft material can come from your own body, a tissue bank, an animal source, or a synthetic ceramic. We discuss the options together and choose the material that best fits your case, your health, and your personal preferences, including metal free and holistically minded options.
No. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia, and most patients report far less discomfort than they expected. We offer sedation options for larger grafts or for patients who prefer extra comfort.
Most grafts mature over 3 to 9 months, depending on size and location. Small socket preservation grafts heal faster, while sinus lifts and larger ridge augmentations take longer. We monitor your progress and let you know exactly when you are ready for the next step.
Many dental and medical plans offer partial coverage for bone grafting, especially when it is medically necessary or related to gum disease. Our team verifies your benefits and explains your out-of-pocket costs clearly before treatment begins.
In some cases, yes. When bone loss is limited, we can sometimes place a small graft and an implant together. Larger grafts usually require a healing time first. Your 3D scan tells us which approach is right for you.
A sinus lift is a specific type of bone graft that adds bone to the upper jaw beneath the sinus cavity, making it possible to place implants in the upper back teeth. It is one of the most common grafting procedures and has an excellent success rate when performed by a trained specialist.
The jawbone shrinks rapidly in the months after tooth loss, sometimes losing up to 25 percent of its width in the first year. This makes future implant placement harder, can shift surrounding teeth, and changes the shape of your face. Grafting at the time of extraction prevents most of this loss.
Yes. We offer a range of biocompatible materials, including synthetic and biological options that align with whole-body wellness goals. We discuss every option openly and help you choose what fits your values.
Bone grafts have a very high success rate when performed by a specialist and cared for properly. Failure is rare and usually linked to smoking, uncontrolled health conditions, or infection. When issues do arise, they are almost always correctable.
Periodontists are the dental specialists trained in the bone and gum tissue that support your teeth and implants. Bone grafting is core periodontal surgery, and it is exactly the work Dr. Moshrefi and Dr. Daneshmand do every day at MD Periodontics.
A healthy jawbone supports far more than your teeth; it supports your nutrition, your speech, your facial structure, and your immune health by reducing chronic infection sites. We view bone grafting as a whole body wellness investment, not just a dental procedure.
