If you have been told you need bone grafting in Charleston, WV before you can get a dental implant, Mountain State Oral and Facial Surgery performs the procedure at our Oakwood Road office in the South Hills area, minutes from downtown off I-64. Our board-certified and board-eligible oral and maxillofacial surgeons rebuild jawbone every week as a first step toward implants, implant dentures, and full arch restoration.Bone grafting is an oral surgery procedure that adds bone material to an area of the jaw that has become too thin or too short to support a dental implant, giving your body a scaffold to grow new, solid bone of its own over the following months.
The jaw loses volume quietly. A tooth is removed and never replaced, a denture is worn for years, or gum disease erodes the bone around the roots, and by the time you are ready for an implant there is not enough foundation to hold one. Grafting reverses that. Below is how we approach it in Charleston, the types of grafts we perform, what recovery looks like, and how cost and insurance work.
Do I Need a Bone Graft?
The only way to know is to measure. At your consultation we take a 3D cone beam scan that shows the exact height, width, and density of the bone where an implant would go. If the bone is adequate, we skip grafting entirely. If it is not, the scan tells us which type of graft, how much material, and how long to expect before the implant can be placed.
You are more likely to need a graft if a tooth has been missing for a year or more, if you have worn a removable denture for several years, if you have a history of gum disease, or if a tooth was removed without socket preservation. Patients who have been turned away for implants elsewhere because of bone loss are often good candidates once the foundation is rebuilt.
Types of Bone Grafts We Perform in Charleston
Socket Preservation
Placed at the time of a tooth extraction, a socket preservation graft fills the empty socket so it heals with its shape intact. It is the simplest graft and the one that prevents the need for a bigger procedure later.
Ridge Augmentation
When the jaw has already narrowed or lost height, ridge augmentation rebuilds the ridge to the width and height an implant requires. Depending on the defect, we use particulate graft material held under a membrane or a block of bone secured with small screws.
Sinus Lift
In the upper back jaw, the sinus often sits too close to the ridge to allow an implant of full length. A sinus lift gently raises the sinus membrane and places graft material beneath it, creating the height needed for a secure implant.Grafting Around Implants
Small grafts are sometimes placed at the same time as an implant to cover exposed threads or thicken thin bone on the outer surface, so the implant is fully surrounded by bone as it heals.
What to Expect at Our Charleston Office
Planning
Every graft is planned on your 3D scan. We choose the material for your case, which may be your own bone from a nearby site, processed donor bone, bovine-derived bone, or a synthetic material, and we map the implant that will follow so the graft is placed exactly where it is needed.
Anesthesia and Sedation
The area is fully numbed with local anesthesia, and we offer nitrous oxide, IV sedation, and general anesthesia in the office for patients who prefer to be relaxed or asleep. See our sedation options page.
Placing the Graft
Your surgeon opens the gum, prepares the site, and places the graft material where new bone is needed. A protective membrane usually covers the graft to hold it in place and direct bone growth, and the gum is closed with sutures. Most grafting appointments take under an hour.
Healing
The gum heals in one to two weeks. The bone itself takes longer: three to six months for most socket and ridge grafts, and up to nine months for some sinus lifts. During that time your body steadily replaces the graft with its own new bone. We confirm with a follow-up scan when the site is ready for the implant. Mild swelling and tenderness for a few days are normal, and our pre- and post-op instructions cover what to expect.
Benefits of Bone Grafting
| • | It makes implants possible: many patients who were told they could not have implants become candidates after grafting. |
| • | It supports your face: rebuilding the jaw helps prevent the sunken look that follows long-term bone loss. |
| • | It stabilizes neighboring teeth: bone around adjacent roots stays intact instead of continuing to recede. |
| • | It improves denture fit: a rebuilt ridge gives both conventional and implant dentures a firmer foundation. |
| • | It protects your investment: implants placed in dense, well-shaped bone are the ones that last. |
Why Choose Mountain State for Bone Grafting in Charleston
Bone grafting is surgery in the truest sense, and it is one of the reasons general dentists refer patients to oral surgeons. Our surgeons plan every graft on 3D imaging, select material based on the size and location of the defect, and provide the full range of in-office sedation and anesthesia. Because we also place the implants, the graft and the implant are designed as one plan rather than two separate procedures.
Charleston patients can be seen at our Oakwood Road office in South Hills or at our Kanawha City office on MacCorkle Avenue. We serve the East End, the West Side, Fort Hill, South Hills, and communities throughout the Kanawha Valley, and we coordinate closely with referring dentists on the restoration that follows. Meet the surgeons on our Meet Our Doctors page.
Bone Grafting Cost and Insurance in Charleston
The cost of a bone graft depends on its size and location, the graft material, whether sedation is used, and whether it is done alone or combined with an extraction or implant placement. We give you a personalized estimate after your consultation. Many dental and some medical plans cover grafting when it is tied to replacing missing teeth, and our team verifies your benefits before treatment. Monthly payment options are available through Cherry payment plans, CareCredit, LendingClub, and Proceed Finance; see our financial and insurance information page.
Bone Grafting FAQs
Is bone grafting always required before dental implants?
No. Patients with dense, adequate bone can have an implant placed right away. Grafting is needed when bone has been lost to extraction, denture wear, gum disease, or injury. A 3D scan at your Charleston consultation gives a definitive answer.
Where does the bone graft material come from?
Options include a small amount of your own bone taken from a nearby site, processed donor bone, bovine-derived bone, and synthetic materials. All are purified and widely used. Your surgeon recommends the material that fits the size and location of your graft.
How long after a bone graft can I get my implant?
Most socket and ridge grafts are ready for an implant in three to six months. Sinus lifts can take up to nine months. In some cases a small graft and the implant can be placed at the same appointment, which your surgeon will confirm from your imaging.
Does a bone graft hurt?
The site is fully numbed and sedation is available, so the procedure itself is comfortable. Afterward, most patients have mild swelling and tenderness for a few days, which the comfort plan and instructions we provide are designed to manage. Many patients tell us the recovery was easier than they expected.
Can I get an implant without a bone graft if my bone is thin?
Sometimes. Shorter or narrower implants, angled placement, and zygomatic implants that anchor in the cheekbone can work around certain bone deficiencies without grafting. Your surgeon will compare those options with grafting based on your scan and goals.
Schedule a Bone Grafting Consultation in Charleston, WV
Rebuilding the foundation for your smile starts with one visit. Contact Mountain State Oral and Facial Surgery at (304) 343-5161 to schedule a consultation at our Charleston office at 869 Oakwood Rd, Charleston, WV 25314. We are open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Friday from 8:00 AM to 2:30 PM.
Bone grafting is usually one step in a larger plan, so you may also want to read about dental implants in Charleston, the types of dental implants we offer, and All-on-4 in Charleston.
