Bone Grafting in Dunnellon
If you've been told you need an implant but "there isn't enough bone," or you've worn a denture for years and noticed your jaw shape changing, you're facing one of the most common roadblocks in dentistry. Bone grafting is how we solve it. Patients from Dunnellon come to our Ocala office for this step every week — sometimes before an implant, sometimes immediately after an extraction, sometimes to stabilize bone that gum disease has worn away. It's a predictable, well-established procedure, and for most people it's far less involved than they expect.
Your jawbone keeps its shape because tooth roots stimulate it. Take the root away — through extraction, injury, or advanced gum disease — and the bone in that spot begins to shrink. Bone grafting places graft material into the deficient area so your body can build new, solid bone around it over the following months. The result is a foundation strong enough to hold a dental implant, support a denture properly, or simply preserve the natural contour of your face and smile.
For Dunnellon patients, this matters most in a few specific situations. Someone having a tooth removed may choose a socket preservation graft at the same visit, keeping the site ready for an implant later instead of letting it collapse. Someone missing an upper back molar for years may need a sinus lift, which we also perform, to rebuild height beneath the sinus floor. A patient with periodontal bone loss may be a candidate for periodontal regeneration, where grafting helps rebuild support around teeth that are still savable. And long-time denture wearers sometimes need grafting before moving to implant-supported dentures or full-arch implants.
Most people who want to replace a missing tooth are candidates, but we don't guess. We start with an exam and imaging to measure exactly how much bone is present, where it's thin, and how close the site sits to nerves or the sinus. From there we'll tell you plainly whether a graft is needed, whether it can be done at the same time as an extraction or implant placement, or whether it needs to heal on its own first.
Good candidates generally have healthy gums or a plan to treat gum disease first, and are willing to follow aftercare instructions. Smoking and uncontrolled health conditions can affect healing, so we talk through those honestly rather than glossing over them. If grafting isn't the right path, we'll say so and walk you through alternatives like a bridge or a conventional partial or complete denture — all of which we make in our on-site lab.
What the Procedure and Recovery Look Like
The appointment itself is usually shorter than patients anticipate. We numb the area thoroughly, open the gum tissue just enough to reach the site, clean it, place the graft material, and often cover it with a protective membrane before closing with sutures. Nitrous oxide and oral sedation are available if you'd rather be more relaxed, and we're happy to arrange that in advance so your trip in from Dunnellon is a single, comfortable visit.
Here's what Dunnellon patients can generally expect:
- Local anesthetic, with nitrous oxide or oral sedation available on request
- Mild soreness and some swelling for a few days, managed with ice and the medication we recommend
- Soft foods for a short period and no chewing directly on the graft site
- Gentle cleaning around the area, with specific rinsing instructions from us
- A healing period of several months before an implant is placed, depending on the site
- Follow-up visits so we can confirm the graft is integrating as expected
We schedule those follow-ups around your travel, often pairing them with a cleaning or exam so you're not making extra trips. Our hygienist can handle periodontal maintenance at the same appointment when that's part of your plan.
Insurance, Payment, and Getting Started
We accept all major PPO insurance plans and file claims as a general practice, which means Dunnellon patients don't need a referral to be seen here for grafting, implants, or oral surgery. We'll review your coverage and give you a clear written estimate before treatment begins. Self-pay patients are welcome, and flexible payment plans are available when you'd rather spread the cost of grafting and the restoration that follows.
Ocala Dental Care has served this region for over 30 years, and Dr. Hussein Salifu and Dr. Marco Geris handle grafting as one piece of a complete plan — extraction, graft, implant, and the final crown, bridge, or denture, much of it fabricated right here in our lab. If you're in Dunnellon and unsure whether your jaw can support an implant, call us and we'll find out together.