What is an Onlay Graft?
Onlay Grafts involve transferring healthy bone from another part of your body to the area of your jaw that requires additional support. Common donor sites for this bone include the chin or other areas of your jaw. The added bone then fuses with your existing jawbone over time, creating a strong foundation for implants or other dental treatments.
In cases where a patient cannot use their own bone, we also use sanitized donor bone from cadavers, animal sources, or biocompatible synthetic materials. These alternatives are helpful for those who don’t have a good donor site or prefer not to use their own bone.
Grafts Can Use Your Own Bone, Donor Bone, or Synthetic Material
The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons explains that a bone graft is bone taken from the patient, a donor (human or animal), or manufactured from synthetic materials, and that it can directly replace missing bone or provide a scaffolding on which the patient’s own bone can grow. It adds that the most commonly used patient-derived grafts come from the jawbone, hip, or lower leg. This supports the point above about transferring bone to the area that needs support.
“The goal of bone grafting is to provide good quantity and quality of bone”
American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS), “Bone Grafting and Membranes”
