Bone Grafting in Memphis, TN

  • Salmon Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery offers bone grafting to rebuild the upper and lower jaws so they can support dental implants. Dr. Bryant Salmon, DMD, MD, a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon, performs grafting at our office at 5565 Murray Avenue, Suite 102, in East Memphis. We see patients from Germantown, Collierville, Cordova, and the greater Memphis area. This is the former McRae Wilson Oral Surgery Group office. To schedule a consultation, call 901-767-0088.

    If the jaw does not have enough bone to hold an implant, a graft can rebuild the site. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are trained in grafting the upper and lower jaws. Dr. Salmon does the grafting himself, often as part of an extraction or implant plan with your restorative dentist.

  • Dr. Salmon chooses the graft material for each patient based on the exam, the cone beam CT scan, and the implant plan. The options are:

    • Autograft: bone taken from your own body

    • Allograft: donor bone

    • Xenograft: animal-derived bone

    • Alloplast: synthetic graft material

    Grafting at the time of extraction

    If an implant is planned later, a graft can be placed in the socket during the extraction visit.

    Ridge augmentation

    Ridge augmentation rebuilds a part of the jaw that is too narrow or too short to hold an implant. Dr. Salmon adds graft material to the ridge so that an implant can be placed once the area heals.

    Sinus lift

    A sinus lift adds bone in the upper back jaw, below the sinus, when that area is too thin for an implant. It is often done to prepare for implants that replace upper back teeth.

    Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF)

    Dr. Salmon often combines grafting with platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), which is drawn from your own blood. PRF is used to support healing. It does not guarantee any particular result, and it is used only when it is appropriate for your case.

  • You may need a graft if:

    • A tooth was lost some time ago. The jawbone can gradually shrink after a tooth is lost.

    • A tooth is being removed now and an implant is planned for that spot later

    • Your imaging shows that the bone is too thin or too short to hold an implant

    • Your dentist referred you to have a site prepared for implants or implant-supported dentures

    Your consultation and imaging decide if a graft is needed. Not every implant needs one.

  • Consultation and imaging. We review your referral, your x-rays, and your medical history. Planning uses our in-office cone beam CT and intraoral scanner. Your dentist can email films to frontdesk@salmonoms.com before the visit.

    Your plan. Some grafts are placed on the day of the extraction. Others are part of a staged graft-and-implant plan that needs a second appointment. Surgery is often possible on the same day as the consultation, but a complex medical history or a staged plan may need another visit.

    Grafting surgery. This is done in our office under the anesthesia option that you and Dr. Salmon choose.

    Healing, then the implant. After the graft has healed, the implant is placed. Healing time varies from patient to patient and depends on the type and location of the graft. Dr. Salmon will give you a personalized timeline before your implant is placed. Your restorative dentist then makes the crown or denture.

  • Before you go home, you get verbal and written instructions plus the office's procedure videos. Please follow them. You also receive an after-hours phone number for urgent questions. During office hours, call 901-767-0088. You can also review our Patient Instructions page.

  • We offer three anesthesia options: local anesthesia, nitrous oxide, and IV sedation. The choice depends on the procedure, your medical history, and your preoperative exam. Dr. Salmon's six-year residency included a significant anesthesiology component. For IV sedation:

    • Do not eat or drink for eight hours beforehand.

    • A responsible adult must stay in the office during the procedure and drive you home.

    • Do not drive for 24 hours after surgery.

  • Grafting is often the first step toward a dental implant. It can be used for a single implant, for a tooth being extracted (with an extraction and graft at the same visit), or for implant-supported dentures. If your site is a candidate, some teeth can be removed and replaced with an immediate implant instead. Your consultation decides which approach fits.

    • Board-certified diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and a Fellow of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

    • DMD from the University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Dentistry, plus an MD and an oral and maxillofacial surgery certificate from a six-year, dual-degree residency at the University of Kentucky

    • Staff privileges at Regional One Health, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and Methodist-Le Bonheur Memphis Hospitals

    • Associate professor in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry

    • Locally owned practice with no outside corporate partners. Dr. Salmon is the sole owner and surgeon.

    Read more about Dr. Salmon

  • Who does bone grafting for dental implants in Memphis?

    Dr. Bryant Salmon, DMD, MD, a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon at Salmon Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (formerly McRae Wilson Oral Surgery), 5565 Murray Avenue, Suite 102, Memphis. Call 901-767-0088.

    Do I need a bone graft before getting an implant?

    Not always. A graft is needed when the jaw does not have enough bone to hold an implant. Your consultation and cone beam CT scan will show whether you need one.

    Can the graft be done at the same time as my tooth extraction?

    Often, yes. If an implant is planned later, grafting can be done at the extraction visit.

    What is a sinus lift, and do I need one?

    A sinus lift adds bone below the sinus in the upper back jaw when there is not enough bone there for an implant. Your consultation and imaging will show whether you need one.

    What is ridge augmentation?

    Ridge augmentation rebuilds a part of the jaw that is too narrow or too short to hold an implant, so that an implant can be placed once the area heals.

    What is the bone graft made of?

    Dr. Salmon chooses the material for each case. It may be your own bone (autograft), donor bone (allograft), animal-derived bone (xenograft), or synthetic material (alloplast). He often adds platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), made from your own blood, to support healing.

    Will I be asleep for my bone graft?

    You can choose from local anesthesia, nitrous oxide, or IV sedation. For IV sedation, you cannot eat or drink for eight hours beforehand, and you need an adult to drive you home.

    How long after a bone graft can I get my implant?

    Healing time varies from patient to patient and depends on the type and location of the graft. Dr. Salmon will give you a personalized timeline before your implant is placed.

    Does insurance cover bone grafting?

    If you have coverage, we request an insurance estimate before the procedure. The estimate is not a guarantee of payment. Payment is due at the time of service. We accept cash, check, major credit cards, and CareCredit.

    Do I need a referral?

    You do not need a referral to book a consultation. If your bone graft is for dental implants, you may need a general dentist or prosthodontist to make the final restoration (crown, bridge, or denture). If your dentist did refer you, please bring the referral slip and any recent x-rays.

  • Call 901-767-0088 or email frontdesk@salmonoms.com.

    Our office is at 5565 Murray Avenue, Suite 102, Memphis, TN 38119. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Contact us to schedule a consultation