Bone Grafting for Implants in New Smyrna Beach, FL

Do You Need a Bone Graft Before an Implant?

You may need a bone graft if your jawbone is too narrow, too short, or too soft to hold an implant securely. A 3D scan is the best way to know for sure.

Benefits of Bone Grafting

A bone graft prepares your jaw for the next step in your implant plan.

What Is Bone Grafting and Why Does It Matter?

Before we explain the procedure, here is a quick look at the biology behind it. When a tooth is lost, the jawbone in that area no longer receives the stimulation it needs to stay strong. Over time, that bone naturally begins to resorb, leaving behind a thinner, weaker ridge that may not have enough volume to anchor an implant securely.

The Role of the Jawbone in Implant Success

A dental implant functions like a tooth root, fusing directly into the jawbone through a process called osseointegration. For that fusion to happen reliably, there needs to be sufficient bone width and height at the implant site. When there isn’t, placing an implant without first rebuilding the bone puts the entire restoration at risk.

How Bone Loss Happens

Bone loss after tooth loss can happen faster than many people expect. Gum disease, ill-fitting dentures, and injury can also wear bone away. The time between losing a tooth and addressing the bone underneath it matters, and the sooner we evaluate the area, the more options you may have. Grafting can help: a 2025 study in PubMed Central followed 112 implants placed in grafted sites and found a 95.5% survival rate at one year. Results vary from patient to patient.

What to Expect From the Bone Grafting Process

A bone graft involves placing graft material into the area of bone loss to encourage the body to generate new, healthy bone tissue. Depending on your situation, a variety of graft materials may be used, including processed bone from a tissue bank or synthetic materials that mimic natural bone structure. Dr. Kortbus will walk you through which option makes the most sense for your case.

Common Types of Bone Grafts

The right graft material depends on the size of the defect, the planned implant site, and your overall health. Here is a brief overview of common graft types:

• Allograft: Processed donor bone from a tissue bank, sterile and widely used for its compatibility and availability
• Xenograft: Derived from bovine (cow) bone, treated to be biocompatible and effective for many types of defects
• Alloplast: Fully synthetic, lab-created material that supports new bone formation without animal or human sources
• Socket preservation graft: Placed immediately after a tooth extraction to prevent bone loss before implant placement begins

Each option is widely used, and we recommend what fits your anatomy and goals. Our team uses 3D CBCT imaging to see your bone volume before treatment planning begins, which helps us avoid surprises once we are in the operatory.

The Healing Timeline

After a graft is placed, the body needs time to integrate the new material and build new bone. Healing typically spans several months, though the timeline varies based on graft size and location. We’ll monitor your progress closely and let you know when the site is ready for the next step. Our blog explains how bone grafting works before dental implants, including what happens at each stage of healing.

How Bone Grafting Fits Into Your Implant Treatment Plan

Bone grafting is often just one phase of a broader plan that leads to a fully restored tooth. Once the grafted site has matured, we can proceed with placing the implant and eventually restoring it with a crown. The goal is a result that looks natural, works well, and may last for many years. Our restorative dentistry team works alongside the surgical phase so the final restoration meets the same standard of care as everything before it.

Some patients are candidates for socket preservation grafts placed at the time of extraction, which may shorten the overall treatment timeline by protecting bone before significant loss occurs. During your consultation, we will assess your jaw and present a clear, step-by-step treatment plan with realistic timelines and honest expectations.

Choose Precision Cosmetic & Family Dentistry for Your Bone Graft in New Smyrna Beach

We approach every case as a whole person, not a procedure on a schedule, and we back that approach with 3D CBCT imaging and Dr. Kortbus’s surgical training. Dr. Kortbus trained at NYU and enjoys the precise work that bone grafting and implant surgery require. He is a member of the American Dental Association, the Florida Dental Association, the Central Florida Dental Association, and the Volusia Flagler County Dental Association, where he is a past president.

We also want cost to stay manageable. We offer flexible financing options through CareCredit and Cherry, along with an in-house membership plan, so we can find a plan that works for your situation. If you are ready to find out whether bone grafting is the right step toward your implant, contact our office to schedule your consultation at Precision Cosmetic & Family Dentistry in New Smyrna Beach, and we will talk through your options.

What Happens During a Bone Graft

Every case is different, but most bone grafts follow the same basic steps.

Recovery and Aftercare After a Bone Graft

You will get written instructions for your case. Here is what recovery often looks like.

If you notice severe pain, swelling that keeps getting worse, or a fever, call our office right away. Our emergency dentistry team can help when something cannot wait.

What Affects the Cost of Bone Grafting

Cost depends on how much bone needs to be rebuilt, which graft material is used, whether the graft is placed at the time of an extraction, and any other treatment you need. At your consultation, we can go over your plan and what it may cost.

Coverage varies by plan, so we can check your benefits with you and talk about what your dental insurance may help with. You can also ask about our in-house membership plan.