The dentist can talk about possibilities for bone augmentation or building if x-rays or a CT scan show that your jaw does not have enough bone to support an implant.

Grafting may be necessary to guarantee that there is sufficient bone for the post to embed itself in, as was mentioned in the previous sections. Otherwise, when you apply the normal biting pressures of the human mandible to your implant, the dental implant surgery may fail and end up dislodging itself.

1) What to Expect with Bone Grafting

In order for an implant to firmly anchor itself in your mouth like a natural tooth root, bone from other areas of your jaw, hip, or chin, through a donor, or artificial bone material (calcium phosphate or hydroxyapatite), is usually added to your jaw. Another option is to use processed cadaver bone from a cow, pig, or human.

2) What to Expect with Bone Distraction

In contrast to a bone transplant, which involves placing bone material there and fusing it with your jaw, a bone distraction is a surgical operation that encourages the body to create additional bone where it is most needed. By tearing apart old bone with pins and screws, your body produces new bone to fill in the spaces.

It will likely take four to twelve months for the bone to be prepared for grafting and implantation if one of these procedures is required before moving on to the actual dental implant process.