Bone Grafting | Phoenix, AZ

Phoenix Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons, David P. Griffith, DMD

Major & Minor Bone Grafting

Bone grafting is an advanced, effective and safe way  to promote healing and bone growth in the jaw.  Because bone tissue has the ability to regenerate and grow, strategic placements of bone grafts can encourage bone growth in the space where it is needed.  Once the graft has been placed, the bone must be allowed to heal, typically 4 to 6 months.

Bone Grafting Process

Bone grafting can repair implant sites with inadequate bone structure due to previous extractions, gum disease or injuries. The bone is either obtained from a tissue bank or your own bone is taken from the jaw, hip or tibia (below the knee). Sinus bone grafts are also performed to replace bone in the posterior upper jaw. In addition, special membranes may be utilized that dissolve under the gum and protect the bone graft and encourage bone regeneration. This is called guided bone regeneration or guided tissue regeneration.

Major bone grafts are typically performed to repair defects of the jaws. These defects may arise as a result of traumatic injuries, tumor surgery, or congenital defects. Large defects are repaired using the patient’s own bone. This bone is harvested from a number of different sites depending on the size of the defect. The skull (cranium), hip (iliac crest), and lateral knee (tibia), are common donor sites. These procedures are routinely performed in an operating room and require a hospital stay.