Bone grafting can reverse the effects that extractions, gum disease, or injuries have had on the bone, leaving it unsuitable for implants. The bone can be taken from your own jaw, hip, or tibia, or from a tissue bank. Sinus bone grafts can also replace bone in the posterior upper jaw. Additionally, guided bone regeneration or guided tissue regeneration can be implemented, which involves using special membranes that dissolve under the gum, protect the newly-placed bone, and encourage bone regeneration.

Major bone grafts are typically performed to repair jaws that have been damaged as a result of traumatic injuries, tumor surgery, or congenital defects. When the patient’s own bone is used to repair large defects, the bone is commonly harvested from the skull (cranium), hip (iliac crest), or lateral knee (tibia), depending on the size of the defect. These procedures are routinely performed in a hospital operating room and require an overnight stay.