After Wisdom Teeth Removal, Will You Need a Bone Graft?

When patients undergo wisdom teeth removal, most do not need a bone graft.

However, it is possible that you’ll need a graft. In some cases, oral surgeons recommend bone grafting. The extra step isn’t often necessary, but it can be beneficial for some patients.

The good news is that getting a bone graft after wisdom teeth removal is really a simple and painless procedure requiring minimal healing time.

Why a Bone Graft Isn’t Usually Necessary

For patients with bone loss in the jaw, grafting is often necessary after teeth removal, particularly for anyone who’s getting dental implants. A graft can boost jawbone health and provide a stable foundation for artificial replacement teeth.

Why, then, isn’t grafting used with most wisdom tooth extractions? It’s because few patients need dental implants to replace the wisdom teeth they’ve just had pulled.

When Your Oral Surgeon Might Recommend a Bone Graft

If you’re not planning to get dental implants after wisdom teeth removal, why would you need a graft?

Sometimes, a wisdom tooth can be impacted in the gums and grow toward the neighboring second molar. When that happens, bone loss in that area can occur, making a graft necessary. Although the second molar isn’t being extracted, the tooth still needs a solid foundation of healthy bone for proper support.

Why You Shouldn’t Be Worried if You Need a Bone Graft

Although bone grafting can sound scary to many wisdom tooth extraction patients, it’s a minimally invasive procedure that takes just a short time to complete.

Contrary to what you may have heard, grafting doesn’t require harvesting your own bone. Your oral surgeon can use natural human bone from a tissue bank, harvested bovine tissue or a graft made of synthetic materials.

Recovery time from wisdom teeth extraction with bone grafting can vary. For most patients, however, the added step doesn’t contribute much time to the wisdom tooth recovery period. As for pain during the healing process, ice packs and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are usually enough to keep pain under control for most patients.

Do you have other concerns about wisdom teeth removal? If your procedure is scheduled with Dr. Partridge or Dr. Maxfield at Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery of Utah, all the details about your wisdom tooth extraction surgery — including the bone grafting step, if necessary — will be explained ahead of time.

The Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery of Utah team will tell you how to prepare for the procedure and provide you with aftercare instructions for a smooth and easy recovery. For expert advice and exceptional care, contact our Cottonwood Heights, South Jordan or Tooele office today to schedule a wisdom tooth removal consultation.