Tissue enhancement and grafting procedures are often required in conjunction with or prior to implant placement. When a tooth is lost the gum and bone in the site remodel and shrink very rapidly during the first 3-6 months after tooth loss and then very slowly thereafter. Teeth are often lost due to disease or trauma and both of these processes can lead to a gum and bone defect even prior to tooth loss.

Fortunately there are a variety of techniques and biomaterials available to us today which can be used to predictably regenerate lost tissue. In many cases if an augmentation or graft is required it can be carried out at the same time as implant placement. In some cases augmentation procedures must be carried out first.

Commonly in the UK; sterilised graft materials derived from animals (xenografts) are used, as well as synthetic (allograft) materials, tissue from donor humans (allografts) or in some cases a patient’s own tissue (autograft).