Some patients do not have sufficient jaw bone in which to place a dental implant, but this does not necessarily mean that dental implants cannot be placed. A bone grafting procedure can create the solid foundation that is needed to support a dental implant and the chewing and biting forces that are exerted on a daily basis.
Bone grafting involves adding bone to the jaw. We can harvest new bone from a different part of your body, such as your hip, or we can create it synthetically. Not surprisingly, bone grafting can add six to nine months to the dental implant procedure. As this is necessary for the bone to grow and fuse properly before the dental implant can be inserted.