Dental Bone Grafts: Materials, Healing and When to Call
If a dentist or a surgeon has told you that you need a bone graft, the word probably raised more questions than it answered. This article covers what a dental bone graft is, what the grafting material can be, how long healing takes and which symptoms are a reason to call.
What a bone graft is
A dental bone graft is a type of oral surgery that increases the volume and density of your jaw. Healthcare providers commonly place bone grafts prior to dental implant surgery, or when bone loss negatively affects oral health. Dental bone grafts are very common, and dentists and specialists like oral surgeons or periodontists do these procedures routinely (Cleveland Clinic).
Two related articles cover the adjoining topics: tooth extraction and bone grafts and what dental implants are.
What the grafting material is
Grafting material comes in several types. An allograft is human bone purchased from a licensed donor bank. An alloplast is a lab-made dental bone substitute. Autogenous material is your own bone, taken from another area of your body. A xenograft is animal-derived bone, also purchased from a licensed donor bank (Cleveland Clinic).
Healing, and when to call
Initial healing takes about a week, but it can take up to one year for the bone graft to fully heal. Most people who have dental bone grafts report little to no pain (Cleveland Clinic).
Call your provider if you have a dental bone graft and develop a fever of 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38.3 degrees Celsius) or higher, increased swelling, pus (infection) around the grafting site or severe pain (Cleveland Clinic).
Next step
Our office is at 147 Main St, 2nd Floor, Lodi, NJ 07644, and Dr. Steven Liao is our dentist. If you are looking for a first visit, our first-visit page is the next step.
Sources
- Cleveland Clinic. "Dental Bone Graft." Updated 2024-08-06. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/21727-dental-bone-graft
