Bone graft for dental implants: when you need one and what it costs

A dental bone graft adds bone where the jaw is too thin or too low to hold an implant securely. Many patients don’t need one. At Toothi in Edgware a minor graft or socket preservation is from £395, and a major graft with a membrane from £995, and we only recommend one if your CBCT scan shows it’s needed. The scan is taken at a referral imaging centre and paid to them directly.

A dental bone graft is a material placed in the jaw to rebuild bone that has been lost, so an implant has enough support around it. Over the following months your own bone grows into the graft and gradually replaces it. Most grafting for implants is a small procedure done under local anaesthetic, often at the same appointment as the extraction or the implant itself.

Bone shrinks after a tooth is lost because there’s no longer a root loading it. The longer the gap has been there, the more width or height is likely to have gone. Gum disease, infection around a tooth and a difficult extraction can also reduce the bone available.

No. Many implants are placed without any grafting, especially when the tooth was lost recently or the bone is naturally thick. Whether you need one is decided by the CBCT 3D scan, which measures the width and height of bone exactly where the implant would go.

• ✓  Often not needed when a tooth has been out for a short time and the surrounding bone is healthy.
• ✓  A small graft may be advised if the bone is slightly thin on one side, so the implant is fully covered.
• ✓  Socket preservation may be suggested when a tooth is taken out, to limit shrinkage while you plan the implant.
• ✓  A larger graft with a membrane may be needed where more bone has been lost over time.

If the scan shows the upper back jaw is short of height beneath the sinus, an internal sinus lift may be recommended instead; see sinus lift for dental implants and the price table below. If your case needs grafting beyond what we provide, we’ll explain that and refer you on.

For implant treatment at Toothi, grafting falls into two practical groups, depending on how much bone needs to be rebuilt.

Minor graft or socket preservation. Graft material is placed into a socket straight after an extraction, or around an implant at placement, to fill a small defect or keep the ridge shape. It adds little time to the appointment.

Major graft with membrane. Used where a larger area of bone has been lost. Graft material is placed and covered with a protective membrane that holds it in place while new bone forms. This is usually done before the implant, or at the same time if the implant can be held stable.

At your consultation we’ll tell you which graft material is planned and why.

At Toothi a minor graft is from £395 and a major graft with a membrane is from £995. You only pay for grafting if your scan shows it’s needed, and the fee is confirmed in your written plan before anything starts.

Prices are fixed and taken from our fees page.

For the full picture of implant fees, see our dental implant cost UK guide and our dental bone graft cost breakdown.

A small graft placed with the implant usually heals alongside it, so it often adds little or no time. A larger graft placed on its own typically needs around 3 to 6 months before the implant goes in, while new bone forms. Everyone heals at a different rate, so we check progress before moving on.

See how long implant treatment takes and the implant procedure step by step.

The procedure is done under local anaesthetic, so you should feel pressure rather than pain. Afterwards, most people have some swelling and tenderness for a few days, which is usually managed with standard over-the-counter pain relief. We’ll give you written aftercare advice: soft foods, gentle rinsing, no smoking, and avoiding pressing on the area. Read more in do dental implants hurt?