Bone grafting rebuilds or supports areas where there is not enough bone for the planned treatment. In implant dentistry it may be carried out before an implant is placed, or during the same procedure, depending on how much bone is missing and where. It is not something every implant patient needs, and assessment rather than assumption decides whether it applies to you.
Bone in the jaw is maintained by the forces that pass through it when you chew. Once a tooth is gone, the bone that used to support it is no longer stimulated in the same way, and it tends to reduce in volume over time. Infection, trauma, gum disease and previous dental treatment can all accelerate that. This is why someone who lost a tooth a decade ago may have a ridge that is narrower and shorter than it looks from the outside, and why imaging matters more than appearance when planning implants.
A graft is considered when the bone available does not give the support or the shape needed for the implant position the restoration requires. That last part matters: the question is not simply whether an implant could go somewhere, but whether it can go where the final tooth needs it. Sometimes there is enough bone in the wrong place. The type and timing of grafting are decided case by case, from the CBCT scan rather than from a standard X-ray, because height, width and contour all have to be assessed in three dimensions.
Several kinds of graft material are used routinely in dentistry: your own bone taken from elsewhere, processed donor or animal-derived material, and synthetic substitutes. Each behaves slightly differently and each suits different situations, and the choice is a clinical one based on the site and the amount of rebuilding needed. Patients often want to know which will be used and where it comes from, and that is explained as part of the plan rather than after the fact.
Where the amount of grafting is modest and the implant can be placed with enough initial stability, both can sometimes happen in one appointment. Where more substantial rebuilding is needed, the graft is placed first and left to heal before implants go in, which means two surgical stages separated by months. Combining them is convenient but is not always the better outcome, and the decision is made on what the site can support rather than on the calendar.
Healing time depends on the size of the graft, the site, and whether implant placement happened at the same time. Some swelling and tenderness in the first days is normal and is managed with the aftercare instructions you are given. The longer part is not the recovery but the integration, during which the graft matures enough to support an implant. You are given a case-specific sequence after planning rather than a general timeline.
Grafting is a category rather than a single procedure, and the scale ranges from a small amount of material placed at the time of an extraction to rebuilding a substantially resorbed ridge. Which applies to you is established from imaging, and it drives both the healing time and the cost.
A consultation with CBCT imaging confirms whether that is the case, how much grafting is involved, and whether it can be combined with implant placement.
All prices in CAD · starting prices
Related procedures
Quoted separately
All prices are starting prices and may vary depending on case complexity, treatment requirements, materials and other clinical factors. Final treatment costs are confirmed following consultation and treatment planning. Prices effective September 2026.
Grafting covers a wide range of procedures, so the starting figure reflects the simpler end of that range rather than an average.
Placing a small amount of material into a socket at the time of extraction is a different procedure from rebuilding a ridge that has resorbed over years, and they are priced differently.
The upper back jaw often involves the sinus, which is its own procedure from $1,200. Other sites are more straightforward to access.
Graft material, membranes and fixation components vary by case and contribute to the total.
Grafting and implant placement carried out together involve one surgical appointment. Staged treatment involves two, with healing between them.
Oral Surgery and Implants
Dr. Ali Mehdi brings over 15 years of experience in oral and implant surgery, with a focus on advanced implant dentistry and complex full-mouth rehabilitation. From routine oral surgery to advanced bone grafting and full-arch implant treatment, his approach combines surgical experience, digital technology, and individualized care.
View ProfileBone grafting starts at $1,000. Final pricing depends on the size, location and complexity of the graft, and on the materials required.
No. Grafting is recommended only when clinical and imaging assessment shows that additional bone support is required. Many implant cases proceed without any grafting at all.
Several types of graft material are used in dentistry, including your own bone, processed donor or animal-derived material, and synthetic substitutes. Which is appropriate depends on the site and the amount of rebuilding needed, and the option planned for your case is explained to you beforehand.
Sometimes they can be combined in one procedure, while other cases need staged treatment. The decision depends on how much grafting is required and whether the implant can be placed with enough initial stability.
Where treatment is staged, the graft is left to heal before implants are placed, and that period is measured in months rather than weeks. The exact interval depends on the size of the graft and the site, and is set out in your treatment plan.
Clinical examination and imaging, including CBCT where indicated, assess bone height, width and the surrounding anatomy. A CBCT scan shows the three-dimensional shape of the ridge, which a standard X-ray cannot.
Some swelling and tenderness in the first few days is normal and is managed with the aftercare instructions provided. Most people return to routine activities within a few days, though this depends on the extent of the surgery.
Advanced options may be considered in selected cases. A consultation determines whether grafting, zygomatic implants or another approach is appropriate for the location and extent of the loss.
Sedation may be considered for appropriate surgical cases. IV sedation with a specialist anesthesiologist starts at $800.
Patients travel to us from White Rock, South Surrey, Surrey, Langley, Delta and across the Fraser Valley. Our team also speaks Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu, and we accept referrals from dentists throughout the Lower Mainland.
Book a consultation with Apple Dental Specialists in White Rock. The team will review your goals and clinical findings, explain the treatment options that may be appropriate, and confirm the plan and final costs before care begins.
