Bone grafts and sinus lifts, explained
An implant needs enough healthy bone around it. If you've been told you don't have enough, there are often still options.
Medically reviewed by Dt. Hüseyin Yavuz Özbek, implant surgeon · Updated October 2026After a tooth is lost, the jawbone gradually shrinks. If there isn't enough bone to hold an implant securely, a bone graft adds bone where it's needed. In the upper back jaw, a sinus lift gently raises the sinus floor and adds bone beneath it. Both can add time and cost. For full arches, angled implants can sometimes avoid grafting.
Why bone matters
The Oral Health Foundation says your implant dentist will check the health and strength of your jawbone before confirming whether implants are suitable. An implant needs enough bone, in height and width, to be held firmly while it heals and for years afterwards. When a tooth is lost, the bone that held it gradually shrinks, which is why people who lost teeth long ago sometimes need extra work.
Bone grafts
A bone graft adds bone where there isn't enough. Depending on your case, it may be done:
- at the same time as the implant, or
- first, with the implant placed after the graft has healed
Sinus lifts
The sinuses sit just above the upper back teeth. When bone there is thin, a sinus lift gently raises the floor of the sinus and adds bone beneath it, making room for an implant.
Alternatives
- Shorter implants, where suitable
- Angled implants for a full arch, as in the All-on-4® concept, to make the most of existing bone
- Zygomatic implants, anchored in the cheekbone, in some cases of severe upper-jaw bone loss; these are specialist procedures
- A denture or clip-on denture, which may need less bone
Questions to ask
- Can you show me on my scan why a graft or sinus lift is needed?
- Will it be done with the implant or before it?
- How does it change the timeline and cost?
- Is it priced on my plan, or "if needed"?
Common questions
Is a bone graft painful?
It's done under local anaesthetic. Swelling and soreness afterwards are common and usually settle within days. Your dentist will advise on pain relief.
Where does graft material come from?
It can come from your own body, or be a prepared graft material. Your dentist will explain what they plan to use and why.
Does a graft add healing time?
Often, yes. Sometimes the graft is placed at the same time as the implant; sometimes it needs to heal first. Ask how it changes your timeline.
Can I avoid a sinus lift?
Sometimes. Shorter or angled implants, or a different plan, may avoid it. It depends on your scan.
Sources
- Oral Health Foundation — Understanding dental implants (bone check)
- Nobel Biocare — All-on-4® treatment concept (angled implants)
Checked October 2026. Where we give our own view as a clinic, we say so.
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