About Bone Grafting

What is bone grafting?

After tooth removal, the jaw bone associated with missing teeth atrophies and is reabsorbed. This often leaves a condition in which there is poor quality and quantity of bone not suitable for placement of dental implants. In these situations, most patients are not candidates for placement of dental implants.

With bone grafting, Dr. Domagala now has the opportunity to not only replace bone where it is missing, but also the ability to promote new bone growth in that location! This not only gives Dr. Domagala the opportunity to place implants of proper length and width, it also gives us a chance to restore functionality and esthetic appearance.

Types of Bone Grafts

Autogenous Bone Grafts

Autogenous bone grafts, also known as autografts, are made from your own bone, taken from somewhere else in the body. Autogenous bone grafts are advantageous in that the graft material is live bone, meaning it contains living cellular elements that enhance bone growth.

Allogenic Bone

Allogenic bone, or allograft, is bone harvested from a cadaver, then processed where the cells are removed and then it is sterilized. There has never been a case of disease transmission utilizing a bone graft processed in this manner.

Xenogenic Bone

Xenogenic bone is derived from non-living bone of another species, usually a cow. The bone is processed at very high temperatures to avoid the potential for immune rejection and contamination.

Bone Graft Substitutes

As a substitute to using bone, many synthetic materials are available as a safe and proven alternative, including:

Graft Composites- Gem 21s

This is a growth factor enhanced matrix using recombinant human platelet derived growth factor combined with a synthetic matrix. Graft composites consist of other bone graft materials and growth factors to achieve the benefits of a variety of substances. Some combinations may include: collagen/ceramic composite, which closely resembles the composition of natural bone, DBM combined with bone marrow cells, which aid in the growth of new bone, or a collagen/ceramic/autograft composite.

Bone Morphogenetic Proteins

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are proteins naturally produced in the body that promote and regulate bone formation and healing.

Bone graft substitutes also have the advantage of not requiring a second procedure to harvest bone. Each bone grafting option has its own risks and benefits. Dr. Domagala will determine which type of bone graft material is right for you.