What is a dental bone graft?

A dental bone graft is a surgical procedure that replaces or stimulates the growth of lost bone in the upper or lower jaw. It is most commonly required when bone volume is insufficient to support dental implants — a result of tooth extraction, untreated periodontal disease, trauma, or long-term denture use. Surgeons choose from four main graft materials: autograft (bone taken from the patient, typically the chin or jaw ramus, with the best integration rates), allograft (processed bone from a human donor bank), xenograft (usually bovine-derived, widely used for its osteoconductive properties), and alloplastic substitutes (fully synthetic, commonly calcium phosphate or hydroxyapatite). The graft acts as scaffolding for the patient's own bone cells to grow into and gradually replace. Common applications include socket preservation immediately after extraction to prevent ridge collapse, ridge augmentation for resorbed ridges, and sinus lifts for upper posterior implants where the sinus floor sits close to the ridge crest. In most cases, implant placement must wait 3 to 6 months for the graft to consolidate; in selected cases, simultaneous graft and implant placement is possible if sufficient initial stability can be achieved.