Do I need a bone graft before I can get an implant?

Only if imaging shows you don't have enough bone width or height at the implant site. Your surgeon will tell you after a CT scan.

How long do I have to wait after a bone graft before getting the implant?

It varies, but healing typically takes several months before the site is ready for an implant, though some cases allow same-day placement with grafting.

It's a graft that raises the floor of the sinus to create enough bone height for an implant in the upper back jaw, where the sinus often sits close to the ridge.

Bone grafting and sinus lift before dental implants in Columbia, SC

Not everyone has enough bone to support an implant right away. Years of missing teeth, gum disease, or upper-jaw anatomy near the sinus can leave too little bone width or height. Bone grafting (and, for upper back teeth, a sinus lift) rebuilds that foundation before or during implant placement.

This is a preparatory step distinct from the implant placement itself, and it's why some patients need extra appointments and healing time before their implant, or full-arch, treatment can move forward.

Patients told they have insufficient bone for implants
Long-term denture wearers with bone resorption
Upper back teeth needing a sinus lift due to low sinus floor
Sites with bone loss from prior gum disease or extraction

Periodontists and oral surgeons in the Columbia area are the providers who typically perform grafting and sinus lift procedures, often coordinating timing with whoever will place the implant.

What it costs

Cost depends on the type of graft (localized site graft vs. a full sinus lift), the grafting material used, and whether it's done at the same time as implant placement or as a separate staged procedure. Staged grafting with a healing period before implant placement generally means two separate procedure fees rather than one.

Top 3 by our score

Ranked from our published scoring of public Google reviews for periodontics & implant placement.

1. Premier Smile Center - Dentist Columbia
4.9★ · 501 reviews

93
2. Sunset Periodontics & Implant Dentistry
4.9★ · 278 reviews

93
3. Columbia Periodontal Associates
4.9★ · 869 reviews

91

FAQ

Do I need a bone graft before I can get an implant?: Only if imaging shows you don't have enough bone width or height at the implant site. Your surgeon will tell you after a CT scan.
How long do I have to wait after a bone graft before getting the implant?: It varies, but healing typically takes several months before the site is ready for an implant, though some cases allow same-day placement with grafting.
What's a sinus lift?: It's a graft that raises the floor of the sinus to create enough bone height for an implant in the upper back jaw, where the sinus often sits close to the ridge.