Bone grafting rebuilds the jaw so it can hold a lasting dental implant — from socket preservation to full ridge augmentation. Village Dental performs it at all four of our Raleigh-area offices: Olde Raleigh, North Raleigh, Brier Creek, and Wake Forest.
Jawbone behaves a little like muscle — it stays strong when it's used and slowly fades when it isn't. When a tooth comes out or goes missing for years, the bone that once anchored its root no longer gets the daily pressure of chewing, and it begins to resorb. Bone grafting rebuilds that foundation, adding volume back to the ridge so it can support a stable dental implant. It's one of the quieter procedures in dentistry, but for many implant cases it's the step that makes everything after it possible.
Patients come to Village Dental for grafting from across the Triangle — from Six Forks and North Hills, out toward Brier Creek and RTP, along Capital Boulevard near Wake Forest, and over by Edwards Mill. The path that brings them in usually rhymes: a tooth was lost or pulled a while back, an implant consult turned up thin bone, or a long-empty gap finally needs filling. Wherever you're starting from, the goal is the same — enough healthy bone to hold an implant for the long run.
There isn't just one kind of graft. A small socket preservation graft goes in right after a tooth extraction to keep the ridge from collapsing, while a larger ridge augmentation rebuilds a section of jaw that has already thinned. Grafts in the upper back jaw sometimes pair with a sinus augmentation when the sinus floor sits too low. Browse our four Raleigh-area locations to find the office nearest you.
No mystery and no rush — most grafts are straightforward outpatient procedures, planned with 3D imaging and timed around the implant they're meant to support.
We start with your goals and a 3D cone-beam scan that shows exactly how much bone you have and where it's thin. That map tells us whether you need a small socket graft or a larger ridge rebuild — and how the future implant should line up.
With the area fully numbed, we add graft material where bone is missing, cover it with a protective membrane, and close the site. A simple socket graft can often go in the same day a tooth is removed, saving you a separate visit.
Over the next three to six months, your body replaces the graft with your own living bone. Once it's strong enough, the site is ready for a dental implant — the reason most grafts are done in the first place.
The difference between a graft that works and one that struggles often comes down to planning. Before any grafting, we take a 3D cone-beam scan — a low-dose CT that turns your jaw into a model we can rotate, measure, and study from every angle. Flat X-rays show height; cone-beam shows height, width, and depth, plus exactly where the nerves and sinus sit. That's how we know how much bone you actually have and precisely where new bone needs to go.
That same imaging maps the implant before the graft is even placed, so the two procedures line up instead of working against each other. If your case involves the upper back jaw, the scan flags whether a sinus augmentation belongs in the plan; if a tooth still needs to come out, we can often combine the extraction and a socket graft in one visit. Seeing the whole picture early is what keeps the number of surgeries — and the overall timeline — as short as your case allows.
Two things hold true at every Village Dental office. We quote the price in writing before we begin, so the cost is clear going in, and we keep same-day windows open daily for consultations and urgent issues. This is also a judgment-free practice — it doesn't matter whether your last visit was last spring or several years ago. A fair number of grafting patients arrive after avoiding the dentist for a while, and the team's only job is to get you back to solid ground.
What you pay for bone grafting depends on the size and type of graft — a small socket preservation graft after an extraction sits at the low end, while a major ridge augmentation that rebuilds a section of jaw runs higher — along with the graft material and whether it's paired with an implant. Many plans pay toward a graft when it supports a medically necessary implant. We give you a written estimate before any work begins and verify your benefits up front. Village Dental is in-network with the major dental insurance providers below.
Please note: We do not accept Medicaid. If you're uninsured, ask about the Village Dental Membership Plan — it bundles your preventive visits and gives you a discount on additional treatment, including bone grafting, implants, and other care.
New patients: Your first exam and X-rays are free. If you're weighing an implant, that's an easy place to find out whether a graft is part of the plan.
Bone grafting is available at all four Village Dental offices across the Raleigh area. Pick the location that's easiest for you — each page has that office's hours, directions, and online scheduling. Not sure which is closest? Browse all Village Dental locations.
Bone grafting cost depends on the size and type of graft — a small socket preservation graft after an extraction costs far less than a major ridge augmentation that rebuilds a whole section of jaw. We give you a written estimate before any treatment, and many dental plans cover part of a graft when it supports a medically necessary implant. We're in-network with Delta Dental Premier, Cigna PPO, BCBS Grid, and United Concordia Elite. Call (919) 205-4829 for an estimate.
All four. Village Dental performs bone grafting at our Olde Raleigh, North Raleigh, Brier Creek, and Wake Forest offices, each planned with 3D cone-beam imaging. Pick whichever office is closest and book there directly. Call (919) 205-4829 or check all our locations to find the nearest one.
The graft surgery itself is usually quick — often 30 to 90 minutes depending on the size — and a small socket graft can be placed in the same visit as a tooth extraction. The longer part is healing: the new bone matures over roughly three to six months before it's ready to hold an implant. We keep same-day windows open daily for consultations. Call (919) 205-4829 to get started.
Not during the procedure — the area is fully numbed first, and most patients describe the recovery as milder than a tooth extraction. Mild soreness and swelling for a few days are normal and usually managed with over-the-counter pain relief. If dental anxiety is part of the picture, we offer sedation options. Call (919) 205-4829 to ask what to expect.
Often, in part. Many dental plans pay toward a graft when it's needed to support a medically necessary implant or to preserve a socket after an extraction. We're in-network with Delta Dental Premier, Cigna PPO, Blue Cross Blue Shield Grid, and United Concordia Elite, and we verify your benefits before treatment so you know your out-of-pocket cost up front. We do not accept Medicaid. Call (919) 205-4829 with your insurance card handy.
Without a graft, the jawbone that once held the tooth root tends to shrink over the months that follow — sometimes enough to rule out an implant later or to leave a visible dip in the gum. A small socket preservation graft placed at the time of the extraction keeps that ridge full and implant-ready. We'll tell you honestly whether you need one. Call (919) 205-4829 to talk it through.
Most grafts integrate over three to six months, though larger ridge augmentations can take longer before an implant goes in. The soft-tissue soreness fades within a week or two, while the bone underneath keeps maturing quietly after that. We track healing with follow-up imaging before clearing you for the next step. Call (919) 205-4829 with any healing questions.
Most healthy adults are. Bone grafting is commonly recommended when an implant site lacks enough bone, after a tooth extraction, or when long-term tooth loss has thinned the ridge. A 3D cone-beam scan shows exactly how much bone you have and whether a graft is needed. We review your health history and imaging at the implant consultation. Call (919) 205-4829 to be evaluated.
Yes. Village Dental performs bone grafting at our North Raleigh office on Six Forks Rd and our Brier Creek office off Brier Creek Pkwy, plus the Olde Raleigh and Wake Forest locations. Each office plans grafts with 3D imaging and can coordinate your implant afterward. Call (919) 205-4829 to schedule at the location nearest you.
Yes. Village Dental offers sedation options for patients who feel nervous about oral surgery, and the practice is judgment-free no matter how long it's been since your last visit. Many bone grafting patients had put off dental work until a tooth finally needed to come out. Call (919) 205-4829 to ask which sedation option fits you.
