Tooth Removal & Bone Grafting

Sometimes a tooth is too damaged or infected to be saved. This can be due to tooth decay, advanced periodontal disease/bone loss, or if the tooth is broken in a way that cannot be repaired. Teeth may also be recommended for removal if they are poorly positioned within the mouth or jawbone, are impacted or trapped beneath the bone or gum tissue, or in preparation for orthodontic treatment. In these cases, removing unhealthy or otherwise problematic teeth helps to protect the surrounding teeth and overall health of your mouth.

After a tooth is removed, the bone that once supported it can begin to shrink and disappear. Over time, this can impact chewing, positioning and health of neighboring teeth, and future replacement options. A bone graft is a simple procedure that can be performed at the time of tooth removal to preserve the natural contours of the jaw bone – making future treatment more predictable and less invasive.

Additionally, in situations where bone volume has already been lost (often in sites where teeth have been missing for a prolonged period of time or when bone grafting was not performed at the time of removal), bone grafting procedures can be used to rebuild the foundation necessary to support dental implants. This can include making an area of the jaw bone wider or performing a sinus lift procedure, where the maxillary sinus membrane is gently moved up to create more bone height. During these processes, every aspect of your care is personalized, and our team is here to ensure you feel informed, confident, and exceptionally well cared for throughout your experience.

Ridge Preservation

Description of the Procedure

The area that is receiving treatment will be thoroughly numbed with local anesthesia. After we ensure you are comfortable, we will make small incisions around the tooth and gently move the gums out of the way. The tooth is removed, taking care to protect surrounding structures. In some cases, a tooth may be split into several pieces to allow easier removal. After the tooth is removed, the remaining socket will be thoroughly cleaned to remove any bacteria or infection that is left behind. Then, the bone graft will be gently placed into the socket and covered with a collagen membrane to hold everything in place, and the area is secured with several stitches.

We offer multiple sedation options for surgical procedures, if needed.

Graft Materials

Bone graft materials are obtained in several ways, most often from cows, pigs, or human cadavers. The donors have no positive history of known systemic disease, and blood tests are negative for any infections. The grafts are extensively tested for bacterial contaminants and processed under strict laboratory conditions known to kill all bacteria and viruses, under experimental conditions. The graft material is placed in a vacuum-sealed sterile container until it is ready to be opened during surgery. All materials used are FDA approved.

During the procedure, we also draw a small amount of your blood and spin it in a centrifuge to separate out all the good growth factors that your body naturally produces. We mix those growth factors in with the bone graft before placing it in the socket. This additional step helps to significantly enhance healing.

Treatment Timeline

Visit 1: Consult & Exam

Review of health history and determine diagnosis
Review recommended treatment plan and answer all questions

Visit 2: Extraction & Bone Graft

Sedation (optional) and local anesthesia
Completion of surgical procedure with tooth extraction and bone graft
Review post-op instructions and care

Visit 3: Post-op (3 weeks)

Check the area for normal healing
Remove sutures
Review and update home care instructions
Additional post-op appointments may be scheduled as necessary, based on healing
Note: You may not see the doctor at your post-op appointment, but they are always available to answer any question if you need. Do not hesitate to ask!

Visit 4: Final Healing Check (4 months)

Final evaluation for full healingNote: Gum tissue heals quickly, but bone takes 4 months for full healing!

3D x-ray will be taken if we plan to replace the tooth with a dental implant
Future treatment planning, as needed

Ridge Augmentation

Description of the Procedure

The area that is receiving treatment will be thoroughly numbed with local anesthesia. After we ensure you are comfortable, we will make small incisions at the surgical site and gently move the gums out of the way. The bone graft will be prepared and placed at the site. Depending on the procedure, materials may be utilized that are not resorbed naturally and will need to be removed during a secondary procedure. We will make sure to discuss this with you at your exam, and review before the procedure begins. After the graft is secure, we will replace the gums to cover the site and secured with stitches.

We offer multiple sedation options for surgical procedures, if needed.

Graft Materials

During the procedure, we also draw a small amount of your blood and spin it in a centrifuge to separate out all the good growth factors that your body naturally produces. We mix those growth factors in with the bone graft before placing it in the sinus. This additional step helps to significantly enhance healing.

Treatment Timeline

Visit 1: Consult & Exam

Review of health history and determine diagnosis
Review recommended treatment plan and answer all questions

Visit 2: Bone Graft for Ridge Augmentation

Sedation (optional) and local anesthesia
Completion of surgical procedure for bone grafting
Review post-op instructions and care

Visit 3: Post-op (3 weeks)

Check the area for normal healing
Remove sutures
Review and update home care instructions
Additional post-op appointments may be scheduled as necessary, based on healing
Note: You may not see the doctor at your post-op appointment, but they are always available to answer any question if you need. Do not hesitate to ask!

Visit 4: Final Healing Check (4-6 months)

Final evaluation for full healingNote: Total healing time will depend on the extent of bone grafting that is needed!

3D x-ray to evaluate bone and plan dental implant(s)
Update treatment plan and scheduling next steps

Sinus Lift

Description of the Procedure

There are two different ways to perform a sinus lift, depending on how much bone grafting is needed. A closed, or vertical, sinus lift is completed with specialized instruments that gently push the sinus membrane up while preparing the space for the implant to go. An open, or lateral window, sinus lift is completed by making a small opening in the side of your gums so that we can gently move the sinus membrane out of the way with hand instruments to create more space for bone graft. An implant may or may not be placed at the same time as an open sinus lift, depending on the clinical situation. In both cases, the area that is receiving treatment will be thoroughly numbed with local anesthesia. After we ensure you are comfortable, we will make small incisions at the surgical site and gently move the gums out of the way. The sinus membrane is lifted, bone graft placed, and implants placed (if possible). The gums are then replaced to cover the site and secured with stitches.

We offer multiple sedation options for surgical procedures, if needed.

Graft Materials

Treatment Timeline

Visit 1: Consult & Exam

Review of health history and determine diagnosis
Review recommended treatment plan and answer all questions

Visit 2: Sinus Lift (w/ or w/o Implant Placement)

Sedation (optional) and local anesthesia
Completion of surgical procedure for sinus lift and implant placement
Review post-op instructions and care

Visit 3: Post-op (3 weeks)

Check the area for normal healing
Remove sutures
Review and update home care instructions
Additional post-op appointments may be scheduled as necessary, based on healingNote: You may not see the doctor at your post-op appointment, but they are always available to answer any question if you need. Do not hesitate to ask!