Site development for implants
An implant needs bone to hold it. Where there is not enough, it can usually be rebuilt — and that is planned before anything is placed, not discovered partway.
What it rebuilds
Ridge augmentation rebuilds bone width and height where the jaw has narrowed or lost depth, so an implant can be placed in the right position rather than wherever bone happens to remain.
A sinus lift creates enough bone volume in the upper jaw, where the sinus sits close above the back teeth and leaves too little height for a fixture.
Socket preservation is the least of the three because it is the earliest: grafting at the time of an extraction keeps what is already there rather than rebuilding it later.
Who it is for
Anyone who has been told there is not enough bone for an implant. It is common where a tooth has been missing for a while, and it is usually solvable.
Anyone having a tooth removed who intends to replace it — the socket is easiest to keep at the moment it is made.
What you need is established from imaging before anything is scheduled, so it is part of the plan rather than a surprise.
Recovery
Expect soreness and swelling around the site and a period on softer food. A sinus lift has its own aftercare, which you will be taken through.
Grafted bone needs time before an implant can be placed into it. That waiting is the point of the procedure rather than a delay in it.
Cost and insurance
Cost depends on which procedure is needed and how much has to be rebuilt. You will have the figure for your own plan before anything is booked.
Our insurance coordinator works through what your plan covers.
Where there is not enough bone, it can usually be rebuilt. What matters is that it is planned before anything is placed.
Questions we are asked
Open any of them. If yours is not here, the front desk will answer it on the phone.
01Where does the graft material come from?
There are several options, including your own bone and processed graft materials. Which is used depends on the site and how much is being rebuilt, and it is discussed before treatment.
02How long before I can have the implant?
Grafted bone has to mature before a fixture can be placed into it, and how long depends on what was done. You will be given the timeline for your own case at the planning stage.
03Is a sinus lift as serious as it sounds?
It is a routine procedure in implant dentistry, done to create bone height in the upper jaw where the sinus sits low. It has its own aftercare, which you will be taken through beforehand.
04Can I avoid grafting altogether?
Sometimes — it depends entirely on the bone you have. Imaging at the assessment is what answers it, and if grafting can be avoided you will be told so.
Not sure this is what you need?
Most people are not, on the first call. Book a comprehensive evaluation and we will tell you what we find, and what it would take to put right.