Patient-friendly definition from the DentistsDirectory.org dental glossary.
A dental bone graft is a procedure that adds bone volume to the jaw where natural bone has been lost or was never sufficient. The graft material acts as a scaffold that encourages the body's own bone cells to grow into and gradually replace the graft, restoring the jaw's original volume and density over a period of three to six months.
The most common reason for a dental bone graft is to prepare the jaw for a dental implant. An implant requires a minimum amount of bone height and width to anchor securely — if bone has been lost through gum disease, a previous extraction, or trauma, there may not be enough remaining to support an implant without first rebuilding the site. Bone grafts are also routinely placed at the time of tooth extraction (socket preservation grafts) to prevent the natural bone resorption that occurs after a tooth is removed, keeping the site ready for a future implant or bridge.
Graft material can come from your own body (autograft, taken from another area of your jaw or chin), from a human donor bone bank (allograft), from animal-derived sources such as bovine bone (xenograft), or from entirely synthetic materials (alloplast). Each has advantages and is used in different situations. Your oral surgeon or periodontist will recommend the most appropriate type. The procedure itself is typically performed under local anesthesia, with mild soreness and swelling for several days afterward.