Dental Bone Graft Costs and Procedure Guide

For those dealing with missing or damaged teeth, a dental implant can provide a permanent solution — but that implant will likely require a dental bone graft first. In fact, around 58% of all dental implants require a dental bone graft, a figure expected to grow to around 60% by 2027.¹

What Is a Dental Bone Graft?

Dental bone grafts are used to increase the amount and density of bone in your jaw to repair bone loss, creating a sturdy amount of bone for a dental implant and supporting your existing teeth. Your dentist may recommend this procedure prior to a dental implant to improve the appearance of your mouth or as a way to stabilize your existing teeth if you've experienced bone loss.²

The dentist — though alternatively you may see a specialist like a periodontist or oral surgeon to perform your dental bone graft — uses your own bone, human or animal donor bone or synthetic bone materials to stabilize the area of bone loss and encourage your body to produce new bone growth. Some doctors may also combine the graft material with platelet-rich plasma to promote healing and encourage your body to produce new bone tissue.²

Who Needs a Dental Bone Graft?

Dental bone grafting treats several conditions caused by bone loss in the jaw, and your doctor will recommend a dental bone graft for those who:²

• Need a dental implant to replace a damaged or missing tooth but don't have enough bone to support the implant
• Are getting a tooth extracted to prevent bone loss from occurring after the doctor removes the tooth
• Require dentures but need more stable jawbone to support them
• Have bone loss caused by periodontal disease
• Experienced bone loss that has negatively impacted the appearance of their face and jawline³

How Much Does a Dental Bone Graft Cost?

Dental bone grafts can cost on average anywhere between $400 and $3,000.

As you can see, the average cost for autografts are higher than the rest because these types of grafts use your own bone, requiring two procedures instead of just one.⁴

Factors that affect the cost of your bone graft

Several factors affect the cost of your bone graft, including:⁴

• How much reconstruction you need. More complex cases will cost more than simpler ones.
• Where you live. Procedures performed in major cities like New York and Los Angeles may carry a higher price tag than those in smaller cities.
• The experience of your surgeon. A more experienced surgeon will likely charge more for their services than one with less experience.
• Whether you need a dental implant. Note that a dental implant will add an average of $1,000 to $3,000 to the total price of your costs on top of the cost of your bone graft.
• The type of anesthesia used. A simple bone graft that does not utilize your own bone will likely only require local anesthesia, while one that uses your own bone (or is a more complex procedure) will require IV sedation, a more expensive option. Whether a nurse anesthetist or medical anesthesiologist performs your IV sedation will also influence the cost, with the anesthesiologist typically charging more for their services.

Is a Dental Bone Graft Covered by Dental Insurance?

Your dental insurance will likely only cover your dental bone graft if it is done for medical rather than cosmetic reasons. For instance, a procedure to prevent tooth loss would likely be covered, while one to improve the appearance of your jaw would not.³

Depending on your insurance plan, it may cover some or all of the procedure, so check with your provider to see what your coverage allows. If it's covered, expect to pay around $250 with insurance for your dental bone graft.⁴

Most dental insurance plans don't cover the cost of a dental implant if you are planning on getting one.⁴ Some plans may pay up to $1,500 per year for dental implants.⁵ Check with your provider to see if they do provide any coverage for dental implants.

Dental bone graft cost without insurance

Without dental insurance coverage, expect to pay around $400 on the low end for your dental bone graft.³ On the high end, expect to pay around $3,000 for your dental bone graft.⁴ The same is true if your insurance denies your coverage for procedures that are considered cosmetic in nature.

Types of Dental Bone Grafting Procedures

There are five types of dental bone grafting procedures:²

• Socket preservation graft. This type of bone graft is also known as ridge preservation, performed directly after a tooth extraction to prevent bone loss from occurring.
• Sinus lift. If you've lost your upper back teeth, it could lead to the sinuses dropping down into the tooth root area, making it unsafe for dental implants. To repair this, your doctor places a dental bone graft under the sinuses to lift them back into position and prepare the area for dental implants.
• Periodontal bone graft. Those with infections due to gum disease can experience loose teeth due to the erosion of bone supporting them. To repair the existing teeth, a periodontal bone graft provides much needed support for them.
• Ridge augmentation. This procedure increases the width and volume of thinned-out jawbone caused by missing teeth. Doctors usually perform this procedure to prepare the area for dental implants.
• Block bone graft. For those with bone loss toward the front of the jaw, your doctor will take bone from the back of the jaw to replace it.³

What Are Dental Bone Grafts Made From?

Your doctor will use bone material from four possible sources for your dental bone graft, including:⁷

• Autografts. Your doctor uses bone from your own body — typically from another part of the jaw or your hip — in your dental bone graft. It stimulates the formation of new bone in the area.
• Allografts. Your doctor uses donated cadaver bone in your dental bone graft. It stimulates the formation of new bone in the area.
• Xenografts. Your doctor uses bone from an animal such as a cow, pig or coral in your dental bone graft.³ Unlike autografts or allografts that stimulate your body to produce new bone, xenografts allow your existing bone to grow into the area, acting as a framework for this bone.
• Alloplasts. Your doctor uses synthetic material in your dental bone graft, such as calcium phosphate or calcium sodium phosphosilicate.³ Unlike autografts or allografts that stimulate your body to produce new bone, alloplasts allow your existing bone to grow into the area, acting as a framework for this bone.

Candidates for Dental Bone Grafting

Your doctor may recommend that you're a good candidate for a dental bone graft if you:⁷

• Have experienced jawbone loss due to missing teeth⁶
• Have experienced jawbone loss due to periodontal disease⁶
• Have no periodontal disease or have treated it, as those with active periodontal disease should wait to get a bone graft⁸
• Need a dental implant and don't have enough jawbone to support it²
• Need to rebuild your jaw for dentures
• Don't smoke
• Don't have a compromised immune system and conditions like diabetes
• Have healthy remaining jawbone⁶
• Are generally healthy
• Are not pregnant
• Are not going through radiation or chemotherapy

How Does a Dental Bone Graft Work?

Before your surgery, your doctor will examine your mouth and take X-rays of the area to see the extent of your bone loss. They will then determine a treatment plan for you, including bone graft surgery.²

Preparing for surgery

Prior to your dental bone graft surgery, you'll need to consult with your doctor to see if there is anything special you need to do to prepare for it. Usually, you can expect to:³

• Fast for eight to 12 hours prior to surgery if you are getting IV sedation.
• Talk to your doctor about the current medications you are taking. You may need to stop taking certain medications prior to your surgery, such as blood thinners.
• Quit smoking at least two weeks prior to your surgery.⁶
• Arrange for a ride home after the procedure, especially if you are getting IV sedation, as you may be groggy.

Dental bone grafting procedure

Dental bone graft surgery is typically an outpatient procedure done in your doctor's office. The procedure takes around 45 minutes to complete. During surgery, you can expect the following steps to occur:⁶

• Your doctor will provide you with anesthesia or IV sedation.
• The doctor or a dental technician will clean the area being operated on.³
• If any teeth need to be removed, your doctor will extract them.
• Your doctor will make an incision into the gum to reach the bone and clean that area out of any infected tissue.
• For autografts, your surgeon will remove the bone from your own body at this stage, usually from another part of your jaw or your hip. They do this with a separate incision to remove the bone that they will transplant.
• The doctor will transplant the bone material to the original incision site in the gum and top it with a collagen membrane to prevent the gum from growing into the bone.
• Your doctor will suture the gum closed.

Potential Risks and Side Effects of Dental Bone Graft

A dental bone graft is generally considered safe and has a high rate of success. In fact, autografts have a 95% success rate.⁹ Xenografts have a 100% success rate.¹⁰

Possible risks

As with any surgical procedure, you may experience potential risks and side effects. These include:²

• Infection at the surgical site(s)
• Heavy bleeding after surgery
• Damage to the surrounding nerves
• Complications from anesthesia and sedation
• Failure of the bone graft
• Blood clots³
• Sinus problems⁶
• Infection from donated bone¹¹

Possible side effects

After surgery, it's normal to have some potential side effects that will go away with time, usually within a few days, including:³

• Pain and swelling in the area(s) operated on
• Minor bleeding
• Trouble chewing
• Difficulty speaking

Signs of a failed dental bone graft

While most dental bone grafts are successful, there is a possible risk that they will fail. Signs that your dental bone graft has failed include:²

• Pain and swelling at the surgical site that becomes worse over the course of the first week
• Drainage and pus at the surgical site
• Gum recession
• No improvement in the volume of the jawbone
• A dental implant in the area that becomes loose³

Recovery From a Dental Bone Graft

After your dental bone graft surgery, you should start to feel better within a week or two. You'll usually be able to return to your normal activities within a day or two. Complete recovery will take between three and nine months.²

How to speed up your healing after dental bone graft surgery

To ensure a smooth and speedy recovery during the first few weeks after surgery, you'll need to:³

• Change the dressing for the incision site as directed by your doctor within the first 24 hours of surgery.
• Take your antibiotics as directed by your doctor, if they prescribe them, to prevent an infection from forming.
• Take your pain medication as directed by your doctor to control any discomfort in the area.
• Apply ice packs to the area to control pain and swelling within the first two days.
• Eat only soft and bland foods for the first few days after surgery.
• Sleep with your head elevated for the first two days to prevent blood from pooling at the incision site.
• Avoid contact sports and other activities that could damage your incision.
• Avoid crunchy or hot foods and liquids.
• Avoid eating and drinking dairy products.¹²
• Not touch the incision area with your fingers or tongue¹³
• Not smoke¹³
• Visit your doctor regularly for checkups and X-rays to ensure the area is healing.

Common Questions About Dental Bone Grafts

You probably have some questions about how bone growth works after a bone graft, where cadaver bone comes from, how long bone grafts last and whether they hurt. Check out the answers below.

Financing Dental Bone Grafts With the CareCredit Credit Card

Whether you're getting a dental bone graft or you're simply paying for a dental exam, the CareCredit credit card can help you pay for costs not covered by insurance.* Use our Acceptance Locator to find a dentist or oral surgeon near you that accepts CareCredit. Use the CareCredit credit card, again and again, to pay for your health and wellness wants and needs, and download the CareCredit Mobile App to manage your account, find a provider on the go and easily access the Well U blog for more great articles, podcasts and videos.

In addition to dental care, you can also use your CareCredit credit card for pet care, cosmetic, vision, hearing, health systems, dermatology, pharmacy purchases, spa treatments and so much more within the CareCredit network. How will you invest in your health and wellness next?

Author Bio

Susan Paretts is a freelance writer with 19 years of experience covering health and wellness, pet care and more. Her work has been published by the American Kennel Club, Bayer Animal Health, Elanco, LIVESTRONG.com, The San Francisco Chronicle, Chewy and more.