Ridge augmentation, socket preservation, and implant site development by board-certified periodontist Dr. Chanook David Ahn. Advanced PRF therapy for accelerated healing. Our Costa Mesa office is just 10 minutes from Newport Beach via CA-55 S or Newport Blvd.
Dental bone grafting is a surgical procedure that rebuilds or augments the jawbone in areas where bone has been lost due to tooth extraction, periodontal disease, trauma, or prolonged tooth absence. The procedure involves placing bone graft material at the deficient site, which serves as a biological scaffold that your body gradually replaces with new, living bone over a period of several months. For Newport Beach residents considering dental implants, bone grafting is often a critical first step that ensures the jawbone has sufficient volume and density to support a titanium implant root for decades of reliable function.
Bone loss in the jaw is far more common than most patients realize. When a tooth is extracted or lost, the surrounding alveolar bone begins to resorb almost immediately because it no longer receives the mechanical stimulation that the tooth root once provided. Studies show that the jawbone can lose up to 25 percent of its width within the first year after extraction, and this resorption continues progressively over time. Without adequate bone, dental implants cannot achieve the osseointegration, the biological fusion of titanium and bone, that gives them their remarkable stability and longevity.
At The Loft Dental Studio, board-certified periodontist Dr. Chanook David Ahn performs all types of bone grafting procedures using advanced techniques and materials. With more than 5,000 dental implants placed throughout his career, Dr. Ahn understands precisely how much bone volume, density, and architecture is required to achieve predictable, long-lasting implant success. His Yale residency training in periodontics provided an intensive foundation in hard tissue surgery, regenerative biology, and the science of bone healing that informs every grafting procedure he performs.
Bone grafting is a surgical procedure that requires specialized training in hard tissue biology, regenerative techniques, and surgical site management. A board-certified periodontist like Dr. Ahn has completed three additional years of residency training beyond dental school, focused specifically on the bone and soft tissues that support teeth. This advanced training is directly relevant to bone grafting because periodontists study bone healing biology, graft material science, membrane barrier techniques, and growth factor application at a depth that general dental education does not cover.
Board certification from the American Board of Periodontology represents an additional level of demonstrated competence beyond residency completion. It requires passing rigorous written and oral examinations that test a periodontist's knowledge of surgical technique, case selection, complication management, and treatment planning. When you choose a board-certified periodontist for your bone graft, you are selecting a surgeon who has proven mastery of the biological principles and clinical skills that determine whether a bone graft succeeds or fails.
The Periodontist Advantage: General dentists may offer basic socket preservation grafts, but complex ridge augmentation, guided bone regeneration with membrane barriers, and multi-site grafting procedures require the surgical training and experience of a specialist. Dr. Ahn manages the entire bone regeneration process from initial CBCT evaluation through graft placement, healing monitoring, and eventual implant placement, ensuring continuity of care at every stage.
Dr. Ahn performs several distinct bone grafting procedures, each designed for specific clinical situations. The procedure recommended for you depends on the location and extent of bone loss, the planned implant placement, and your overall treatment goals.
Socket preservation is performed immediately after a tooth extraction to prevent the rapid bone loss that naturally occurs when a tooth is removed. Dr. Ahn places bone graft material directly into the empty socket and covers it with a collagen membrane or PRF membrane to contain the graft and protect it during healing. This procedure maintains the bone volume and ridge width at the extraction site, making future implant placement significantly more predictable. Socket preservation is the single most effective way to prevent the need for more extensive ridge augmentation later.
Ridge augmentation rebuilds bone in areas where significant resorption has already occurred, typically after teeth have been missing for months or years without socket preservation. The procedure involves elevating the gum tissue to expose the deficient bone, placing particulate or block bone graft material to restore volume, covering the graft with a resorbable or non-resorbable membrane barrier, and closing the tissue over the site. Ridge augmentation can restore both the width and height of the alveolar ridge, creating a foundation that supports dental implants in their ideal prosthetic position.
When a specific implant position has been planned but the existing bone does not provide adequate dimensions for implant placement, Dr. Ahn performs targeted implant site development. This may involve localized grafting to increase bone width at the planned implant location, grafting to fill a buccal wall defect that would leave the implant surface exposed, or simultaneous grafting performed at the time of implant placement to build bone around implant threads that extend beyond the native bone contour. In some cases, bone grafting and implant placement can be performed in the same surgical visit, reducing overall treatment time.
The selection of bone graft material is a clinical decision that Dr. Ahn makes based on the type and size of the bone defect, the location in the jaw, and the biological requirements of each case. Understanding the different graft materials helps patients appreciate why specific materials are recommended for their situation.
In my practice, I often combine graft materials to leverage the strengths of each. For example, mixing allograft with xenograft provides both biological activity and volume stability. Adding PRF membranes derived from the patient's own blood concentrates growth factors directly at the graft site, significantly enhancing the biological healing response. The material is important, but the surgical technique, the membrane management, and the biological environment we create are what ultimately determine whether the graft produces dense, implant-ready bone.
Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF) is an advanced regenerative therapy that Dr. Ahn incorporates into every bone grafting procedure at The Loft Dental Studio. PRF is prepared from a small sample of the patient's own blood, which is drawn and centrifuged during the procedure to concentrate platelets, white blood cells, and growth factors into a fibrin membrane.
When placed over or mixed with bone graft material, PRF delivers a sustained release of growth factors including platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) directly to the surgical site. These growth factors stimulate new blood vessel formation, recruit bone-forming cells to the graft, accelerate soft tissue closure over the graft site, and reduce post-operative inflammation and discomfort. PRF is entirely autologous, meaning it comes from your own body, so there is no risk of allergic reaction or disease transmission. The use of PRF in bone grafting represents one of the most significant advances in regenerative periodontics, and Dr. Ahn has extensive experience integrating this technology into his surgical protocols.
Dr. Ahn evaluates your bone volume with 3D CBCT imaging and develops a personalized grafting plan to prepare you for successful dental implant placement.
Call (714) 549-7030Every bone grafting case begins with a comprehensive evaluation that includes digital X-rays and a CBCT 3D scan. The CBCT provides a three-dimensional view of your jawbone, allowing Dr. Ahn to measure bone width, height, and density at the planned implant site with millimeter precision. He uses this data to determine the type and volume of graft material needed, select the appropriate membrane barrier, and plan the surgical approach that will produce the best outcome.
Bone grafting is performed under local anesthesia for complete numbness of the surgical area. IV sedation, oral sedation, and nitrous oxide are available for patients who prefer additional relaxation. Dr. Ahn discusses sedation options during your consultation so you can choose the comfort level that is right for you. Learn more about our sedation options.
Dr. Ahn elevates the gum tissue to expose the bone defect, then carefully prepares the recipient site by perforating the cortical bone to create bleeding points that bring blood supply and bone-forming cells to the graft. The selected bone graft material is placed and contoured to achieve the desired bone dimensions. A collagen membrane or PRF membrane is positioned over the graft to contain the particles and prevent soft tissue from growing into the graft space before new bone has formed. The tissue is then closed with sutures to achieve primary closure, which is essential for graft success.
After the procedure, the graft material undergoes a gradual biological transformation. Over the course of several months, your body replaces the graft scaffold with new, living bone through a process called creeping substitution. Dr. Ahn monitors this process with periodic clinical examinations and imaging to ensure the graft is maturing as expected before proceeding to implant placement.
Many PPO dental insurance plans cover bone grafting when it is performed as a medically necessary procedure to prepare the jaw for implant placement or to preserve bone after extraction. Coverage varies by plan and typically ranges from 50 to 80 percent of the allowed fee. Our administrative team verifies your benefits before treatment so you know your out-of-pocket costs in advance.
PPO Plans We Accept: Delta Dental, Cigna, MetLife, Guardian, Aetna, United Healthcare, and Blue Cross Blue Shield.
We offer financing through CareCredit with low-interest and interest-free payment plans. FSA and HSA funds are also accepted. For more details, visit our Insurance & Payment page.
The Loft Dental Studio is located at 3151 Airway Ave, Suite F-103, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, in the South Coast Metro area. Our office is approximately 10 minutes from Newport Beach, making it convenient for patients throughout the Newport Beach and coastal Orange County area.
Head north on Newport Blvd toward Hospital Rd. Continue onto CA-55 N (Costa Mesa Freeway). Take the Baker St exit and turn right onto Baker St. Turn right onto Airway Ave. The Loft Dental Studio is located at 3151 Airway Ave, Suite F-103 on the right side. Total drive time is approximately 10 minutes depending on traffic.
Head north on Superior Ave through Newport Beach into Costa Mesa. Continue on Superior Ave past 17th St. Turn right onto Airway Ave. Our office is at 3151 Airway Ave, Suite F-103. This surface street route avoids freeway traffic and takes approximately 12 minutes.
Bone grafting costs vary depending on the type and extent of the procedure. Socket preservation after a tooth extraction typically ranges from $400 to $800 per site. Ridge augmentation for implant site development ranges from $1,500 to $3,500 depending on the size of the defect and the graft material used. Block bone grafts for larger defects can range from $2,500 to $5,000. These fees generally include the graft material, PRF therapy, membrane placement when needed, and follow-up visits. The Loft Dental Studio provides a detailed cost estimate after your evaluation. We also offer financing through CareCredit and accept FSA and HSA funds.
Healing time depends on the type of bone graft performed. Socket preservation grafts typically require 3 to 4 months of healing before an implant can be placed. Ridge augmentation procedures generally need 4 to 6 months for the grafted bone to mature and integrate with the surrounding native bone. Larger block grafts or guided bone regeneration cases may require 6 to 9 months. Dr. Ahn uses PRF therapy to accelerate the healing process and monitors bone maturation with periodic imaging. He will not place an implant until the grafted bone has reached sufficient density and volume to support long-term implant success.
Bone grafting is performed under local anesthesia, so you will not feel pain during the procedure. IV sedation and nitrous oxide are available for patients who prefer additional comfort. Post-operative discomfort is typically mild to moderate and is well managed with over-the-counter ibuprofen and prescription pain medication for the first 2 to 3 days. Most patients report that the discomfort is less than they anticipated. Dr. Ahn uses PRF therapy derived from your own blood to reduce inflammation and accelerate tissue healing, which contributes to a more comfortable recovery.
Dr. Ahn selects graft materials based on the specific clinical situation. Allograft is processed human donor bone that serves as a scaffold for your body to build new bone upon and is the most commonly used material for socket preservation and moderate ridge defects. Xenograft is derived from bovine or porcine sources and is used when a slower-resorbing scaffold is needed to maintain volume long-term. Autograft is bone harvested from another site in your own mouth and is considered the gold standard because it contains living bone cells, though it requires a second surgical site. Synthetic bone substitutes made from calcium phosphate or hydroxyapatite are also available. Dr. Ahn often combines graft materials with PRF membranes to enhance the biological healing response.
Many PPO dental insurance plans provide partial coverage for bone grafting when it is performed as a medically necessary procedure in preparation for dental implant placement or to preserve bone after an extraction. Coverage typically ranges from 50 to 80 percent of the allowed fee depending on your specific plan. Some plans classify bone grafting under major services with a waiting period. Our administrative team verifies your benefits before treatment so you understand your out-of-pocket costs in advance. The Loft Dental Studio accepts most major PPO plans including Delta Dental, Cigna, MetLife, Guardian, Aetna, United Healthcare, and Blue Cross Blue Shield.
A bone graft is needed when there is insufficient bone volume or density at the planned implant site to support a dental implant. This commonly occurs after a tooth has been missing for an extended period and the bone has resorbed, after a traumatic extraction that damaged the surrounding bone, when periodontal disease has caused bone loss around adjacent teeth, or when the natural anatomy of the jaw does not provide adequate bone width or height. Dr. Ahn evaluates bone volume using 3D CBCT imaging during your consultation and determines whether grafting is needed and which technique will produce the best outcome for your specific situation.