Ridge Augmentation

Ridge augmentation rebuilds a jaw ridge that has become too thin or too short to hold an implant. At Pearl32 Dentistry and Wellness in Laguna Hills, we measure the ridge on a 3D cone beam scan first, in millimeters, so you know what is missing. Graft material is placed against the ridge and covered with a membrane. Healing runs three to six months before the implant is placed. The graft rebuilds bone. It does not replace the tooth by itself.

What is ridge augmentation?

It is bone added to the jaw ridge to make it wider or taller. After teeth are lost, the ridge resorbs from the outside in, so it becomes a thin blade of bone rather than a rounded ridge. An implant needs at least one millimeter of bone around it on every side. If the ridge measures four millimeters wide and the implant needs seven, we build the difference. Graft material goes against the ridge, a membrane covers it, and the gum is closed over the site.

When is it needed?

Three situations. A tooth that has been missing for years, where the ridge has narrowed and dipped. A tooth lost to infection or a failed root canal, which took the outer bone wall with it. And a site where a previous extraction had no socket graft, so the shape collapsed during healing. We measure the ridge on a 3D cone beam scan and show you the slice on screen. A socket graft at the time of extraction often prevents all of this, which is why we offer one when a tooth comes out. See bone grafting.

What is the graft made of?

Usually a mix. Processed human donor bone or bovine mineral acts as the scaffold: it holds space while your own cells move in and replace it. Your own bone, collected during the surgery, is added when we can, because it carries living cells. A membrane over the graft keeps gum tissue from growing into the space, since gum grows faster than bone. Some membranes dissolve; others are removed at a second visit, and larger builds sometimes use titanium reinforcement or small tacks to hold the shape.

How long does it take to heal?

Three to six months before the implant is placed, with wider builds at the longer end. You will feel normal within one to two weeks. The healing that matters happens under the gum, out of sight, for months after that. We rescan before placing the implant, to confirm the width and height in millimeters rather than assuming.

After the implant is placed, bone bonds to it over three to six months. Plan the whole sequence as close to a year, and we map the dates out at the consultation so you can work around holidays and events.

What does it make possible, and what will it not do?

It makes a fixed, cleanable implant possible where the answer used to be a removable partial. It also keeps the gum contour, so the crown comes out of the gum in line with its neighbors rather than looking long. See implant dentistry for the stages that follow.

It will not rebuild unlimited bone. Vertical builds are less predictable than width, and we tell you when we are at that edge, offering a shorter implant, a different position or a bridge instead of promising something we cannot hold to. It will not fix gum disease either: we treat that first through our periodontics care.

What does ridge augmentation cost?

We do not publish prices for grafting. A small width graft at a single site and a large build with a reinforced membrane across three teeth are different operations. Your cost is quoted in writing, itemized, after an examination and a cone beam scan, with the implant and crown stages shown on the same estimate.

We are in network with most major PPO plans and Delta Dental HMO, though many dental plans limit graft coverage, so we check yours first. Third party financing is available and the practice is not the creditor, through CareCredit, Cherry, Sunbit and Happen Bank (formerly LendingClub). See financing.

Questions people ask about ridge Augmentation

How uncomfortable is a ridge graft?

Most people compare it to a surgical extraction. The surgery is done under local anesthetic with sedation available. Afterward, expect swelling for two to three days, some bruising and a tight feeling where the gum was closed over the graft. Ibuprofen with acetaminophen on a schedule handles it for most patients. Eat on the other side for two weeks and skip exercise for three days.

Can the graft fail?

Yes, and it is worth knowing the odds before you start. Most grafts heal well. Failure usually shows in the first two weeks as the gum opening over the graft, which lets material wash out. Smoking is the largest factor we can name. If part of a graft is lost, we clean the site, let it heal, and regraft a smaller volume rather than pretending it did not happen.

Do I have to wear something over the gap while it heals?

You do not have to, and most patients want to. A temporary partial, sometimes called a flipper, fills a front gap during the months of healing. It has to be relieved so it does not press on the graft, which is why we adjust it after surgery and again at reviews. Back teeth are often left without anything at all.

Is donor bone safe?

Processed donor and bovine grafts have been used for decades and are sterilized and screened under regulated processes. The material is not living tissue; it is a mineral scaffold your own bone grows through and replaces. If you would rather not use donor material, tell us. Synthetic grafts and your own bone are alternatives, and we will explain the differences in healing time.

What happens if I decide not to graft?

Then we plan around the bone you have. Options include a shorter or narrower implant, an implant in a slightly different position, a bridge, or a removable partial. Sometimes the honest answer is that a site will not hold an implant safely, and we will say so rather than place one that fails in two years. Nothing here has to be rushed.

This page is general information, not a diagnosis. What is right for you can only be decided after an examination.