Over a period of time, the jawbone associated with missing teeth atrophies and is reabsorbed. This often leaves a condition in which there is poor quality and quantity of bone suitable for the placement of dental implants. In these situations, most patients are not candidates for the placement of dental implants.

With bone grafting we now have the opportunity to not only replace bone where it is missing, but we also have the ability to promote new bone growth in that location. This not only gives us the opportunity to place implants of proper length and width, it also gives us a chance to restore functionality and aesthetic appearance.

Autogenous bone grafts, also known as autografts, are made from your own bone, taken from somewhere else in the body. The bone is typically harvested from the chin, jaw, lower leg bone, hip, or skull.

Autogenous bone grafts are advantageous in that the graft material is your own live bone, meaning it contains living cellular elements that enhance bone growth, also eliminating the risk of your body rejecting the graft material since it comes from you.

Allogenic bone, or allograft, is dead bone harvested from a cadaver, then processed using a freeze-dry method to extract the water via a vacuum. Unlike autogenous bone, allogenic bone cannot produce new bone on its own. Rather, it serves as a framework, or scaffold, over which bone from the surrounding bony walls can grow to fill the defect or void.

Xenogenic bone is derived from non-living bone of another species, usually a cow. The bone is processed at very high temperatures to avoid the potential for immune rejection and contamination. Like allogenic grafts, xenogenic grafts serve as a framework for bone from the surrounding area to grow and fill the void.

Both allogenic and xenogenic bone grafting have the advantage of not requiring a second procedure to harvest your own bone, as with autografts. However, because these options lack autografts bone-forming properties, bone regeneration may take longer than autografts and have a less predictable outcome.

This product is processed allograft bone, containing collagen, proteins, and growth factors that are extracted from the allograft bone. It is available in the form of powder, putty, chips, or a gel that can be injected through a syringe.

Graft composites consist of other bone graft materials and growth factors to achieve the benefits of a variety of substances. Some combinations may include: collagen/ceramic composite, which closely resembles the composition of natural bone, DBM combined with bone marrow cells, which aid in the growth of new bone, or a collagen/ceramic/autograft composite.

Synthetic materials also have the advantage of not requiring a second procedure to harvest bone, reducing risk and pain. Each bone grafting option has its own risks and benefits. Drs. Donnarumma, Vukas and Halliwell-Kempwill determine which type of bone graft material is best suited to your particular needs.

He is board certified by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and is also a diplomate of the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology. He has been practicing for over 30 years and is actively involved in updating his knowledge and professional skills to provide his patients with the highest level of care.

Dr. Donnarumma is currently on the staff at the Erie County Medical Center, the Kaleida system of hospitals and Eastern Niagara Hospital. He is a clinical assistant professor at the SUNY at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine and holds membership positions in local, state and national dental and oral surgery organizations and honor societies.

Locally, he has served as president of the Erie County Dental Society and the Western New York Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. He is a recent Past-President of both the Eighth District Dental Society and the New York State Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. He also currently serves as a delegate in the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Dr. Donnarumma was also recently recognized with the Frank Stone Award from the Erie County Dental Society for outstanding service to the dental profession and the community.