Is Bone Grafting Really Necessary for Dental Implants?

Dental Implant Bone Grafting | Yonsei Garden Dental Clinic

Hello. This is Yonsei Garden Dental Clinic in Daechi-dong.

“Do I really need bone grafting as well?”

This is a question many people ask when they come in for a consultation about implant treatment.

To give you the conclusion first, bone grafting is not necessary for every implant. However, when there is insufficient jawbone, it may be an essential step for achieving stable results.

These days, advertisements show that the cost of implant treatment is becoming increasingly competitive and lower. However, many people say that when they actually visit a clinic for a consultation, they are told that an alveolar bone graft (bone grafting) is required, and are quoted an amount that is considerably different from the treatment cost shown in the advertisement. Therefore, today we would like to explain what bone grafting is and whether it is truly necessary.

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Alveolar Bone Grafting

What is bone grafting (alveolar bone grafting)?

When a loose tooth is extracted after the condition has progressed to severe inflammation, the appropriate treatment period has already been missed. Because the area around the tooth is already filled with inflamed tissue, the surrounding inflamed tissue must be thoroughly removed along with the tooth during extraction.

Even if there were no particular symptoms before then, this inflamed tissue may gradually dissolve the alveolar bone around the tooth root. As a result, the tooth loses its support and becomes loose, and the extraction site becomes hollowed out like a crater, larger than the area where the original tooth root was located. If an implant is placed in this condition, its retention may be weak, and it may become loose and eventually have to be removed. Therefore, placing artificial bone in the area where the implant is to be placed in order to improve the likelihood of implant success is called alveolar bone grafting.

Dental Implants | Yonsei Garden Dental Clinic

Is alveolar bone grafting always necessary when getting an implant?

This is one of the most common questions asked by people who come in for an implant consultation. If the jawbone at the implant placement site is sufficiently thick and deep, bone grafting is not necessary. However, the problem is that relatively few people meet the bone conditions suitable for implant placement. Conversely, when the thickness and depth of the jawbone are severely insufficient—for example, when a sinus lift is required or when periodontitis is severe—bone grafting becomes necessary.

For approximately half of all implant patients, bone grafting may be beneficial, but it cannot be said to be absolutely necessary. In such cases, an alternative is to use a thinner or shorter implant instead of performing bone grafting. Depending on the patient’s general health, implant surgery may also be performed without bone grafting.

When is bone grafting necessary?

• A long time has passed since extraction: The bone at the extraction site may have been resorbed and reduced.

• A history of severe periodontitis: The surrounding bone may have been lost due to gum disease.

• Congenitally thin bone: The bone in the upper jaw, particularly around the front teeth, tends to be thin, so bone grafting is often necessary.

• A location close to the maxillary sinus (the area beside the nose): The upper molars are adjacent to the maxillary sinus, so a bone-grafting procedure called a “sinus lift” may be necessary.

Bone grafting does not mean that bone will form in an amount equal to the amount grafted. Excessive smoking after surgery constricts blood vessels and reduces blood circulation, preventing the grafted bone and jawbone from receiving sufficient oxygen and nutrients. As a result, tissue regeneration and bone integration may not occur properly. Smoking also increases the likelihood of inflammation in the mouth, and if an infection develops, bone tissue may be damaged or the grafted bone may be rejected. In addition, patients with systemic diseases or weakened immune systems, as well as those who do not maintain good oral hygiene, have a higher likelihood of developing an infection at the surgical site, which may increase the failure rate of bone grafting.

So, if alveolar bone grafting is not absolutely necessary when placing an implant, does that mean it can be skipped?

Let us first look at the cases in which alveolar bone grafting is needed by examining CT images.

Dental Implants in Daechi-dong

You can see the dark areas around the tooth in the image, right? In such cases, the tooth is also very loose, and a 3D CT scan shows that significant inflammation has developed around the tooth and dissolved the bone. In these cases, performing implant surgery together with alveolar bone grafting may improve the likelihood of implant success.

What about this case? Is alveolar bone grafting necessary here as well?

No. In this case, a long time has passed since the tooth was extracted, so the bone is narrow in width. However, bone has filled in at the extraction site, and there is no inflammation. Therefore, surgery can be performed sufficiently without alveolar bone grafting.

As you can see from the images above, alveolar bone grafting is not a procedure that is always necessary when receiving implant treatment. Depending on the condition of the patient’s alveolar bone (jawbone) or any systemic diseases they may have, alveolar bone grafting may be needed, but it is not mandatory.

Dental Implants and Prices | Yonsei Garden Dental Clinic in Daechi-dong

At Yonsei Garden Dental Clinic, we create an overall treatment plan tailored to each individual based on an accurate diagnosis (CT) and the treatment approach the patient prefers. The fact that an implant needs to be placed does not necessarily mean that alveolar bone grafting will also be performed. We also strive to follow the principle of explaining the upcoming treatment thoroughly to the patient and proceeding only with their consent.

Dental Implants in Daechi-dong

The implant treatment at Yonsei Garden Dental Clinic in Gangnam is provided by Dr. Ji-ho Ahn, a prosthodontist who graduated from Seoul National University and is currently a visiting professor there. Based on his extensive clinical experience, he has treated numerous complex cases. Accordingly, the clinic provides carefully executed implant treatment and conducts strictly evidence-based care without unnecessary overtreatment, such as not recommending sinus lifts when they are not needed. Please feel free to contact us for a consultation.

Dr. Ji-ho Ahn, Visiting Professor at Seoul National University

The clinic is also conveniently located near Samseong Station, Hagyeoul Station, Daechi Station, and Hanti Station, making it easy to visit from Samseong-dong, Daechi-dong, and Gaepo-dong.

The building next to BMW at the intersection by Woosung Apartments in Daechi-dong

(Opposite Starbucks/Samsung Store)

Yonsei Garden Dental Clinic in Daechi-dong

offers convenient, free parking.

Consultations and inquiries: 02-501-2879