Bone Grafting in Salem, MA

At Essex Street Dental Medicine, we view bone grafting as setting the stage for a strong, lasting result rather than a procedure on its own. We use detailed imaging to evaluate exactly how much bone is present and where it is needed, so the graft is precisely planned. We choose the graft approach and material best suited to your situation and explain why. Our goal is always to give your future implant or restoration the healthiest possible foundation while keeping the procedure as comfortable and straightforward as possible.

Evaluate

We use 3D imaging to measure your existing bone and determine where and how much grafting is needed to support your treatment goals.

Graft

The chosen graft material is placed into the area that needs rebuilding, often at the same time as an extraction or in a separate planned visit.

Heal

Over several months your body integrates the graft and forms new, living bone, creating a solid foundation in the treated area.

Restore

Once the new bone has matured, the area is ready for implant placement or the next stage of your restorative plan.

Dental bone grafting is a procedure that adds or rebuilds bone in the jaw where it has been lost or is insufficient. The graft acts as a scaffold that your body replaces with new bone over time. It is most often done to create enough healthy bone to support dental implants or to preserve bone after a tooth is removed.

You may need a bone graft if your jawbone has shrunk after losing a tooth, if you want a dental implant but lack adequate bone to support it, or to preserve a socket right after an extraction. Bone naturally deteriorates when a tooth is missing, so grafting restores the volume needed for stable, long-lasting results.

Graft material can come from your own body, from a screened and processed human or animal donor source, or from a synthetic substitute. All sources are safe and biocompatible, and each works as a framework your body uses to grow new bone. We will discuss which option is best for your situation and answer any questions you have.

The procedure is performed with local anesthesia, and sedation is available, so you should not feel pain during treatment. Afterward, most patients experience mild soreness and some swelling for a few days, which is well managed with over-the-counter or prescribed medication. Discomfort is usually less than patients anticipate.

Initial healing of the gum tissue takes a couple of weeks, but the graft needs several months, typically three to six, to fully integrate and form mature bone strong enough to support an implant. Healing time varies based on the size and location of the graft and your individual healing response. We monitor progress along the way.

The cost depends on the size of the graft and the material used. A simple socket preservation graft is relatively modest, while larger ridge augmentation or sinus procedures cost more. Bone grafting is often part of a larger implant treatment plan, and we provide a clear estimate in advance. Some insurance plans contribute toward grafting when medically necessary.

Socket preservation is a type of bone graft placed immediately after a tooth is extracted to fill the empty socket and prevent the bone from collapsing as it heals. This keeps the ridge intact and makes future implant placement easier and more predictable. It is a simple addition to an extraction that can save more involved grafting later.

Ridge augmentation rebuilds the height or width of the jawbone ridge after it has already shrunk from tooth loss. It restores the natural contour of the jaw and creates enough bone to support implants or improve the fit of other restorations. It is often used when teeth have been missing for a long time.

True rejection is very rare because graft materials are processed to be biocompatible and are not living tissue that the immune system attacks. In uncommon cases a graft may not integrate as expected, often related to infection or healing factors, and can be redone. We take care to plan and place grafts to maximize success and monitor healing closely.