Dental Bone Grafts

Using Your Own Teeth as a Dental Bone Graft Material (Tooth Dentin Grafting)

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Dentin tooth graft next to natural bone graft

(updated February 2025) The concept of using one’s own teeth as dental bone graft material is innovative and we do it routinely. This approach, known as autogenous tooth grafting (dentin grafting), leverages the natural properties of your teeth to aid in bone grafting. Whether you’re considering dental implants, a sinus lift, or preparing for an … Read more

Bone Grafting or No Bone Grafting? A Common Dental Implant Dilemma

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Missing lower front teeth massive bone loss defect

(updated February 2025) This patient has severe bone loss of the lower front teeth area. He wants implants, but was told by numerous dentists it could not be done.  A huge part of my practice in Burbank, California is devoted to treating these very difficult dental implant cases where huge bone grafts may be needed.  … Read more

Dental Implants for Cleft Palate

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Implant for cleft lip/palate solution

(updated February 2025) Cleft lip and palate patients often are missing one or more front teeth.  If you have a cleft palate, having dental implants can be much more difficult.  If you’re interested in dental implants for cleft palate, please be aware that unique and complex solutions are needed to manage the way your smile … Read more

Slow and Staged Dental Implants

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Digital implant model

(updated October 2024) Most of the time my preference is for immediate extraction, implant and bone grafting simultaneously.  In this case it is best to slowly stage each out into separate procedures with some time in between.  This is because the bone loss is so bad it is much more predictable for the bone to … Read more

Can I Get Dental Implants Without Enough Bone? (Video & Text)

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Can I Get Dental Implants without having any bone

(updated October 2024) Dental implants without enough bone….how can that be done? Is it possible? If you don’t have any bone left at all, and you’ve been told there’s just not enough bone to get implants, what are your choices? In my office, I treat the most extreme of extreme patients. So when the bone … Read more

Is It Normal? Extraction Bone Graft Membrane (White) Showing

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Membrane socket bone graft

  (updated January 2024) My patient called me to ask what is that white thing there? In other words…is it normal that my extraction bone graft membrane (white) is showing? An extraction socket bone graft for dental implants that has a non-dissolvable membrane should look like this while it is healing. This procedure is done … Read more

Sinus Lift Bone Graft- How Big Should the Implant Be?

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Sinus Bone graft

(updated February 2025) A sinus lift bone graft is common! What is a sinus bone graft? The sinus is a hollow space above your upper molar teeth. There is usually not enough bone to place implants. The sinus lift bone graft builds the vertical height only. It does not build width. And it only builds … Read more

Big Bone Graft For Molars

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Bone graft results

(updated January 2025) This patient presented to my office in Burbank, CA  after seeing numerous “dental implant dentists.” He was told that implants are not possible by three different providers! Bone Loss Needs Large Bone Graft The preoperative image shows that he has very skinny bone in the area where the teeth were lost many … Read more

Zygomatic Dental Implants Bone Thickness/Thinness Comparison

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zygomatic implant comparison

Zygomatic dental implants are used in cases of more extreme bone loss in the upper jaw.  They rely on anchorage into the base of your cheek bones which are called  “ zygomatic bone.”  They are commonly done for full arch replacement with a Prettau, zirconia dental implant bridge. Generally speaking this bone is dense and … Read more

Complication – Bone Graft is Exposed – Platelet PRF Treatment

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Complication - Bone graft is exposed

Ramsey Amin DDS I don’t have complications too often but this is one worth sharing. I did a very large block bone graft in the front of the mouth for dental implants. The bone graft was both vertical and horizontal and gained a lot of volume. The block bone graft was held in by screws … Read more

Replace Loose Long Bridge -Dental Implants And Bone Expansion

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dental implant healing abutments -Mouth

This Burbank patient had a loose lower bridge.  She had had the bridge for about only 8 years before it failed and became loose.  You know a bridge is failing when it feels painful to bite down or there is movement.  This unfortunately is a daily thing I see every day.  Teeth were never intended … Read more

Upper Molars with Sinus Bone Graft and Lower Single Implants -Ramsey Amin DDS Reviews

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3D scan of pre-implant surgery model

This is a nice example of basic treatment with dental implants that was well engineered. What you are looking at here are four dental implant molars that I placed in virtual 3-D. The implants are actually surgically placed in the bone but what I did was ‘overlay’ the implants that are actually there with the … Read more

Bone Graft Correcting Dental Implant Peri-Implantitis Bone Loss ~ Case Example

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bone-banner

before treatment–bone loss in the mid body of implant causing inflammation, redness and pain Bone loss can and does occur around dental implants.  Often this is called peri-implantitis and there are a few treatment options. Review signs and symptoms of peri-implantitis dental implant bone loss in this previous article. Bone loss on implants happens on … Read more

Replacing Four Lower Back Teeth With Dental Implants and Bone Grafting – Start to Finish Detailed Video Review -Ramsey Amin DDS

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Panoramic xray showing lower arch dental implants

This video has a lot of information on dental implants and bone grafting. There is also a lot of information on how the teeth and dental implant abutments are made in the rationale of why I did everything. You also see the sequence where three of the implants were placed in a delayed fashion and … Read more

Bone Reduction Leveling For Dental Implants to Avoid a Bone Graft

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bone reduction dental implants

Bone leveling is a procedure called “alveoloplasty.” Bone leveling is extremely beneficial in cases where a bone graft can be avoided altogether. Especially in the lower jaw when the bone atrophies, (melts away) what’s left of the bone is just a skinny spine knife edge type of ridge where the teeth used to be. That … Read more

Block Grafts From Another Person

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lateral incisors block bone graft Ramsey Amin DDS (3)

This article is a follow-up to a video from 2009 that I receive a lot of questions about. Block bone grafting for dental implants is still a very successful procedure…. But a lot has changed over the years! (side note: Many people mistake the term “graft” with “graph.” The correct term is “graft”) Basics on … Read more

Do I Need PRP/PRF/PDGF/BMP For Dental Implants and Bone grafts?

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Ramsey Amin video Do I Need PRP:PRF:PDGF:BMP For Dental Implants and Bone grafts?

In this video, I described what is PRP and PRF and how to concentrate growth factors, stem cells and molecular enhancers made from your own blood to be used in dental implant and bone grafting procedures. PRP, PRF, PDGF, BMP, and others, are all abbreviations for wonderful enhancers of dental implant bone grafts. I make … Read more

Bone Graft Membrane Sticking Out And Exposed

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Ramsey Amin credentials

(updated January 2024) (Another great post on membranes.-Click here to see what they look like in the the mouth) These are questions and comments I receive constantly on my blog and from patients who come to see me in Burbank, California. New patients who come see me ask, “Is it okay if my bone graft … Read more

Complex Case Example–Tilted Dental Implant Used To Bypass Impacted Tooth and Bone Expansion for Missing Front Teeth

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Large bone graft for lower molars

This patient presented to my office in Burbank by referral for dental implants from another patient. She had two dental problems. One was her 6 tooth front upper bridge was loose and had come out a few times and the second problem was her lower molar in the #19 position. After examining her, it was … Read more

All On Four Dental Implant Procedure Review: Is It The Best? –Ramsey Amin DDS

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All On Four Dental Implant Procedure Review

The All on 4 dental implant procedure has become quite popular. You probably even hear about it on radio and TV advertising. Even many dentists don’t really understand it. It is sometimes advertised as the “smile and a day” procedure.   All on four is simply a treatment option for replacing all of your teeth … Read more

Extraction-Dental Implant – It Won’t Stop Bleeding! Quick, Easy, Cheap Solution

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Lower back molars dental implants

Bleeding for most people it is not an issue after a routine dental extraction, bone graft or multiple dental implants.  It does occur tough ! When it does occur it can be pretty disconcerting, and can look like a whole lot of blood is coming out of your mouth. It doesn’t take but a few drops … Read more

Dizzy/Vertigo After Sinus Lift Bone Graft for Dental Implant

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Dizzy_Vertigo After Sinus Lift Bone Graft for Dental Implant

Dizziness is a rare complication that can occur in patients that have an internal sinus lift for dental implants in the upper jaw. This is called vertigo. More accurately it is called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo – BPPV. In my private practice over the last 14 years I have had extremely few patients that have … Read more

The Bone is Showing After Extraction Graft!

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After Extraction and Bone Graft…The Bone is Showing.

(updated July 2024) You may have had your tooth extracted and a bone graft placed at the same time. About once or twice a week I get emails from around the world with patients who have had this very common (pre dental implant) procedure. You may be worried because you can see that the bone … Read more

Dental Implant is Too Deep, Tooth Looks Long

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Dental Implant is Too Deep, Tooth Looks Long

Dental implants, especially in the front of the mouth, need to be placed with a high degree of accuracy. When an implant is placed too shallow or worse yet too deep in the front of the mouth it creates a cosmetic failure– a long tooth and sometimes black triangles. This is especially true on a … Read more

Burbank Implant Dentist Explains: Immediate Front Tooth Replacement with Bone Expansion Grafting

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Missing center front tooth

This is a dental implant immediate tooth replacement case that I did in my Burbank office a few days ago. There are many details that make this dental implant unique. He only lost this tooth about six months ago, and the bone had already shrank, causing an indentation defect on the critical outer wall of the bone. … Read more

Alternatives To Bone Grafting For Dental Implant Teeth

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First off I want to be clear that you cannot have dental implants without having enough bone to support dental implants.  BUT…sometimes you don’t need to rebuild ALL the bone to have the same result.  Sometimes rebuilding ALL the bone does not yield as nice of a result than if you bone grafted back just … Read more

Full Mouth Dental Implant Reconstruction -Audio Explanation With Burbank’s Ramsey Amin, DDS

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Full mouth dental implants reconstruction

Full mouth dentistry with dental implants and crowns can get very complex.  I treated this patient in my Burbank office with nine dental implants and a total of more than 20 crowns. The full mouth dental reconstruction involved the upper and lower teeth and opening the bite to be taller. The three minute audio recording … Read more

What is Sinus Expansion? Do I Need a Sinus Lift? Sinus is Big and Close…Burbank Dental Implant Expert Reviews

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3D scan of sinus

Your sinuses are big hollow holes above your upper teeth.  The roots of your upper back teeth are really close to your sinus. In order to have dental implants in that area, sometimes a sinus lift bone graft is necessary to treat the expanded sinus.  Whether you live in Burbank ,Glendale or Los Angeles, all … Read more

The “Void” Bone Graft for Immediate Single Implants – American Board Diplomate Explains

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pre-molar-block-bone-graft-Ramsey-Amin-DDS-4-150x150

A bone graft for immediate single implants is often needed. Most immediate implants are for single rooted teeth like your front and middle back teeth (premolars.) In my Burbank dental implant practice, this type of bone graft is common. Most implants are round in shape.  Most extraction sockets are oval or rectangular if they are … Read more

Burbank Implant Dentist Explains Titanium Mesh Bone Grafting for Dental Implants

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Missing lateral upper teeth

Titanium mesh is one of many techniques I use in my Burbank dental implant practice to rebuild (graft) lost bone.  Titanium mesh is sometimes referred to as “ti-mesh.” It looks like a screen as shown in this picture. It acts as a barrier and physical support of the gums over the bone graft. I place … Read more

I Don’t Have Enough Bone For Dental Implants

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Panoramic xray of no teeth

The main qualifier for having dental implants is having enough bone.  If you don’t have enough bone for dental implants, the bone can be rebuilt or I can use remotely placed implants such as pterygoid implants and zygomatic implants.  If you don’t have enough gum, that can be added back (with a gum graft), too. … Read more

Bone Grafts…How Long Do Bone Grafts Take to Heal? (video & text)

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Bone grafts video by Dr. Ramsey Amin DDS

(updated July 2024) Some bone grafts for dental implants take longer to heal than others. In this video, I cover several factors that determine how long your bone graft takes to heal.  Remember that many times the bone grafts and dental implants can be done simultaneously. (Related topic –click here)          Factors affecting … Read more

Mandibular Tori Used as Bone Graft Source For Dental Implants

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Missing molar on lower arch

Mandibular tori (bone bumps next to your tongue) can sometimes be used as bone graft source for dental implants. The images in this post are of a patient I recently treated in Burbank. She is missing one of her first molar teeth and the bone has shrunk because it has been a long time since … Read more

Ramsey Amin, DDS – Sinus Lift Bone Graft Case Example For One Dental Implant

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xray of missing upper molar

This is a very unique case where a large sinus bone graft had to be performed for just one dental implant. This example below was done at my office in Burbank. The sinus was so expanded from bone loss that an “internal sinus bone graft” would not work.  There was not enough pre-existing bone to do … Read more

Burbank Sinus Lift Bone Graft for Dental Implants Case Example -Ramsey Amin,DDS

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Xray of sinus lift bone graft for dental implants

This is a fantastic sinus lift bone graft for dental implants case that I completed yesterday in my Burbank private practice. This patient was missing three teeth in the upper right area. These are the three main teeth that allow you to chew. Because the teeth were missing for so long, the bone shrank, and … Read more

3 Ways To Avoid a Sinus Lift Bone Graft for Dental Implants – Burbank Dentist Explains

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how to avoid a sinus lift bone graph

Streamlining my patient’s dental implants by reducing time, number of visits and cost are important to me. The sinus lift bone graft is an extremely common procedure that I do in my office.  In fact, I am one of the few in the world to be trained by the inventor of this procedure.  Hilt Tatum … Read more

Bone Widening Graft of Lower Back Jaw – Picture Series – Dr. Ramsey Amin

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Missing teeth on lower arch

This is a great example of a procedure that I do VERY routinely in my office in Burbank, California. You can learn more about the process here: (Bone expansion of the lower jaw) Bone Widening/Expansion This man would like to have implants in the back of his lower jaw, but his bone is far too skinny. … Read more

Does a Sinus Lift Bone Graft For Dental Implants Affect Breathing?

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Does a sinus lift bone graft for dental implants affect breathing?  A patient asked me this today.  She does not have enough bone in her upper molar area so she needs me to rebuild the bone.  That is the purpose of this procedure.  It allows you to have dental implants for upper back teeth, if the … Read more

Burbank Implant Dentist on Extraction Defects…Relation to Dental Implants and Bone Grafts

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Smile picture

Teeth are removed for several reasons, including periodontal (gum) disease, extreme decay, and for orthodontic reasons.  Once a tooth is removed, the shape of the ridge (i.e., the supporting bone and gum in which the tooth was situated and retained) changes. If there has been extensive bone loss, or if the tooth needed to be … Read more

PRP – For Accelerated Healing Of Dental Implant Procedures

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Single lower lateral implant with crown

This is a great report on the use of PRP (Platelet-rich plasma) for dental implants and bone grafting.  The author referenced is an expert on the topic.  He has the same credentials in implant dentistry as I do, which is the highest achievable.  We both carry the prestigious title: Diplomate of the American Board of Oral Implantology /Implant Dentistry.

I also use PRP in my office and have had similar great sucess. I especially like the part about how it was used by an NFL team! Read this post to learn more about PRP.

SOURCE American Academy of Implant Dentistry

An exciting treatment gaining acceptance in orthopedics and sports medicine, called platelet-rich plasma therapy (PRP), is showing strong potential for accelerated healing of dental implant procedures, according to a prominent dental researcher and editor of the Journal of Oral Implantology.

James Rutkowski, DMD, PhD, reported at the recent annual scientific meeting of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry that platelet-rich plasma therapy can accelerate bone and tissue growth and wound healing and help assure long-term success of dental implant placements.

"What could be better than using the body's own regenerative powers to grow bone and soft tissue safely and quickly? For dental implant procedures, PRP treatments can jump start bone growth and implant adherence in just two weeks, which cuts down the time between implant placement and affixing the permanent crown," said Rutkowski.

Platelet-rich plasma is obtained from a small sample of the patient's own blood. It is centrifuged to separate platelet growth factors from red blood cells. The concentration of platelets triggers rapid growth of new bone and soft tissue. "There is very little risk because we are accelerating the natural process in which the body heals itself," said Rutkowski. "PRP speeds up the healing process at the cellular level, and there is virtually no risk for allergic reaction or rejection because we use the patient's own blood."

Rutkowski noted that some orthopedic physicians have been using PRP with success for painful and hard to treat injuries like tennis elbow, tendonitis and ligament damage. An avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan, Rutkowski couldn't resist mentioning that PRP was used in 2009 pre-game Super Bowl treatment for two Steeler players (Heinz Ward and Troy Polamalo), and both were instrumental in the team winning its 6th Super Bowl.

For dental surgery applications, Rutkowski explained that PRP is mixed as a gel

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Tunnel Bone Grafting for Dental Implants

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Have you ever heard of laparoscopic surgery? Tunnel bone grafting for dental implants has a similar concept.

Rather than opening a large incision to rebuild bone, a tiny incision is made in an area far from the graft.  This is called remote access.

A tunnel bone graft is most commonly done to make the jaw wider if you have missing lower back teeth.  It does not make bone taller.

A small tunnel is made and bone grafting materials are added through that tunnel.  There are very few stitches since the incision is so tiny.  Pain is also reduced with this technique.

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PRP vs. BMP (Blood Growth Factors) for Dental Implant Bone Grafts

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Xray of upper dental implant

If you need a bone graft for dental implants, technology from your own body can help. There are a lot of "additives" that can be added to your bone graft. Some of these additives are scientifically studied and some are just gimmicks. Some may cost you an exorbitant amount of money such as recombinant human … Read more

VIDEO -Hard or Soft Bone – What is Better for Dental Implants?

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dental implant

Most people think bone is just bone!  Actually, in the mouth it can be as hard oak wood or as soft as Styrofoam!!! Your success with the dental implant procedure has got a lot to do with this.  The techniques of placing the implants into each type of bone is very different.  This video should help … Read more

Sinus Bone Lifting – Internal

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xray of missing tooth

There are two ways to “lift the sinus” if you are missing bone for an upper back tooth. Read this post first  and watch this sinus graft video to understand the two main techniques and understand why this procedure is needed. Internal Sinus Lift Procedure This procedure is used when the bone loss of the … Read more

Nerve-Repositioning for Lower Dental Implants

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Nerve-Repositioning or “Nerve Lateralization” is reserved for the rarest of cases, but is extremely useful in the right situation. This is a procedure that I perform.

It is only done to replace the lower back teeth with a very unique situation.  You may need this procedure if the bone is not “tall” enough to have an implant.  There also needs to be a lack of space from in-between you top and bottom teeth

Lower Back teeth with implants healing:

IMG_0112

Here is a picture of a patient with a lot of space between the bottom and top teeth:

IMG_8311

This space can be built back with bone with some difficulty.

This is a picture of a patient that has very little space:

LEFT

It is more desirable to have less space, which means you have more bone.

A CT scan is required for this procedure.  Below are some example images.

The orange line in this image is where the nerve is. You don’t want the

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Piezosurgery for Dental Implants and Bone Grafting

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Panoramic xray of missing upper molars

Piezosurgery® is an exciting modality that enables me to cut bone without harming soft tissues. It is amazing. I have used it for 3 years now and it is just incredible.  It can cut bone, but it can't cut skin, gums, nerves, etc!  Unbelievable, but true. Piezosurgery utilizes high frequency ultrasonic vibrations—which allow the bone … Read more

Video – Sinus Lift Bone Graft for Dental Implants

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sinus lift bone graft video

Sinus lift bone grafts are done when you need dental implants for your upper back teeth, but don't have enough bone. The procedure has been done since the mid 1970's. I was personally trained by the inventor of this procedure, Dr. Hilt Tatum This video is intended to give you some insight to why and … Read more

Bone Grafting For Dental Implants…Where Do You Get the Bone?

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bone grafting for dental implants

When you lose a tooth, you lose bone with it. Rebuilding the bone for dental implants is very common.  Unfortunately, there is not a lot of information made available to patients about where the bone comes from. In this video, I will describe bone material options such as human, cow (bovine), your own bone and … Read more

What is a “Block Bone Graft” Associated with Dental Implants? — Video

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block bone graft video

UPDATE TO THIS POST —-CLICK HERE Many patients have come to me for second opinions about bone grafts. Specifically, they were told they need a "block graft" or "onlay graft." Although this procedure is popular and works well, there is not a lot of patient information available about it. This video should give you a … Read more

Repairing Dental Implants

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Despite dental implants having a high success rate, an implant is not immune from problems.  An extremely small percentage of implants or teeth made on implants can exhibit problems with the bone or gum. Most important is prevention from this occurring.  Dental implants must be placed in areas where bone and gum are abundant.  If … Read more

Dental Implant Bone Grafting –Do I Need It?

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Gap between upper center front teeth

This is one of the most common questions I get.

Some of the implant “supercenters” advertise that it is not necessary.  Unfortunately that marketing is misleading.  It is a case-by-case situation that needs to be carefully evaluated.

If the bone is not wide or tall enough for an implant, a bone graft is recommended.  Sure, an implant can just be “put” in into almost no bone.  Is that really helping you?  What most fail to understand is that you are compromising on the essential long-term foundation of the implant, which is the surrounding bone.

What if you were constructing a building that was to be secured by four main posts in the ground?  If you took out one main post, making the building stand on three legs, it would still stand.  If an earthquake happens, would you rather be in the building with four posts or three?  Dental implants are no different; they are subject to extreme forces on a daily basis.

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© 2025 Burbank Dental Implants: Ramsey A. Amin, DDS