Autogenous bone graft: what it is and how it works
An autogenous bone graft is bone taken from your own body and placed where bone is missing, most often in the jaw to make room for dental implants. "Autogenous" means the donor and the patient are the same person, so the body does not reject it. Living bone cells in the graft help form new bone (osteogenesis), the graft releases growth proteins that attract the body's own bone-forming cells (osteoinduction) and its framework gives new bone a scaffold to grow along (osteoconduction). No other graft material offers all three, which is why the autogenous graft is the reference against which bone substitutes are judged. Dental centres in Turkey use it for ridge widening and rebuilding, sinus augmentation and larger jaw defects, as part of dental treatments in Turkey.
This guide explains where the bone comes from, when your own bone is chosen over other materials, what it costs compared with the UK, US and Germany, how healing goes and how to check a clinic.
Why would you need a bone graft before dental implants?
An implant needs enough bone, in both height and width, to hold the titanium post firmly. After a tooth is lost, the bone around it slowly shrinks. Gum disease, an infection, a cyst, an injury or years of wearing a denture can speed this up. When a scan shows that the bone is too thin or too low, the surgeon either places a graft first and waits for it to heal, or in some cases grafts at the same time as the implant. In the upper back jaw the sinus floor may also need lifting; see sinus lifting for that operation, in which autogenous bone is one of the possible materials.
Where does the bone come from?
The donor site depends on how much bone you need.
- Chin (symphysis). A block or particles from the front of the lower jaw. Suitable for one to three teeth; leaves a small area of numbness in some people.
- Back of the lower jaw (ramus or retromolar area). A block taken in the same mouth, often used for the front teeth sites. Where wisdom teeth have been removed, bone from that area may be reused; see wisdom tooth removal.
- Bone shavings from the implant site. Collected during drilling with a special filter; small amounts only.
- Hip (iliac crest). A larger amount of bone for extensive rebuilding; needs a hospital operation and general anaesthesia and leaves a scar at the hip.
- Shin (tibia) or skull (calvaria). Used only in specialist cases.
Mouth sources avoid a second wound elsewhere in the body but supply a limited amount; hip bone supplies more but means a second surgical site with more discomfort.
Does autogenous bone graft work? What the evidence says
Yes, and long experience supports it. Studies of block and particulate grafts show that implants placed in grafted bone have survival rates close to those in natural bone when the graft is done well. The weaknesses are practical: a second surgical site, some graft shrinkage (resorption) during healing, especially with block grafts, and a longer operation. Some surgeons mix the patient's bone with a bovine or synthetic material, or cover the graft with a membrane or platelet-rich fibrin, to limit shrinkage and reduce the amount that must be harvested. Which combination suits depends on the size of the defect, the quality of the bone and the experience of the surgeon, and no clinic should promise a result before examining a 3D scan.
Autogenous bone graft cost in Turkey compared with the UK, US and Germany
The figures below are approximate ranges for one grafting procedure, not hospital quotes. The price rises with the amount of bone, whether bone is taken from the mouth or the hip, the type of anaesthesia and whether implants are included. Each clinic confirms its price in a written quote.
| Country | Approximate cost range (graft only) |
|---|---|
| Turkey | €400 – €5,500 |
| United Kingdom | €1,200 – €9,000 |
| United States | €1,500 – €14,000 |
| Germany | €1,000 – €8,000 |
The lower end is a small graft from the mouth; the upper end is a larger reconstruction with hip bone and a hospital stay. A package normally includes the scan, the operation and anaesthesia, medication and follow-up, and sometimes the implant. Ask whether the price covers the second visit for the implant and what the clinic does if the graft fails to integrate.
Own bone, donor bone, bovine or synthetic: how do the graft materials compare?
| Graft material | Suited to | Typical limits |
|---|---|---|
| Autogenous (your own bone) | Larger or demanding defects; vertical and horizontal ridge rebuilding | Second surgical site; limited mouth supply; some resorption |
| Allograft (human donor bone) | Moderate defects, sinus lifts | Heals more slowly; cannot form bone on its own |
| Xenograft (bovine) | Space maintenance, small and medium defects | Acts as a scaffold; very slowly replaced by the body |
| Synthetic (alloplast) | Small defects, patients who decline animal or human material | Limited evidence in large defects |
None of these is right for everyone. The surgeon chooses according to the shape and size of the defect, and many plans combine own bone with a substitute. If the problem is larger than the jaw bone alone, for example a skeletal jaw discrepancy, other surgery such as orthognathic surgery may be considered instead.
Who is a good candidate, and who is not?
Good candidates are healthy adults with a jaw-bone deficiency confirmed on a cone-beam CT scan, healthy gums and good oral hygiene. You are less suited if you smoke heavily and cannot stop, have uncontrolled diabetes, an active infection in the area, take bisphosphonates or other medication that affects bone healing, or have had radiotherapy to the jaw. Tell the surgeon about all of these before treatment.
The operation step by step
- Planning. A 3D scan measures the defect and the available donor bone, and shows nerves and sinuses to avoid.
- Anaesthesia. Local anaesthesia with or without sedation for mouth grafts; general anaesthesia for hip bone.
- Harvest. The surgeon opens the gum over the donor area, cuts out a block or collects particles, and closes the wound.
- Placement. The graft is shaped to fit the defect and secured with small titanium screws or a membrane, often with extra graft particles around it.
- Closure. The gum is stitched over the graft without tension.
A mouth graft takes about one to two hours; hip grafting for a larger reconstruction may take two to three hours.
Autogenous bone graft recovery and the healing timeline
Swelling and bruising peak at 48 to 72 hours and settle over about a week. Stitches come out after one to two weeks. You eat soft food, avoid brushing the graft site and keep a prescribed antibacterial mouthwash going; any denture over the site must be adjusted or left out. The graft needs time to join the jaw: implants are usually placed after about four to six months for mouth grafts and sometimes longer for large reconstructions. After hip grafting you may walk with some soreness for one to two weeks.
How long do you need to stay in Turkey?
A single grafting operation needs about three to five nights for consultation, scan, surgery and a check before you fly. Because implants are placed months later, expect a second trip, or in selected cases a combined plan in which the graft and implant are placed in one operation. Hip-bone reconstruction needs a longer stay of about a week. Flying is usually fine once the surgeon agrees, though pressure changes can cause discomfort in the sinuses after upper-jaw grafts.
Risks and complications of an autogenous bone graft
The main risks are swelling and pain at the donor site, infection, graft exposure through the gum, graft shrinkage or failure to integrate, nerve injury leading to numbness of the lip, chin or teeth, and sinus problems for upper-jaw work. Hip grafting adds temporary walking difficulty, a scar and a risk of numbness on the thigh. Smoking, poor oral hygiene and uncontrolled diabetes increase the chance of failure. The NHS, the Royal College of Surgeons and dental implantology societies emphasise a proper scan, a surgeon with grafting training and clear aftercare. Contact the clinic if swelling grows after day three, pus or fever develops, or the graft becomes visible.
How to choose a surgeon and clinic, and red flags
Choose an oral and maxillofacial surgeon or a periodontist or implantologist with documented grafting experience, a clinic that takes a 3D scan before quoting, and a written plan listing the donor site, graft material and timing of implants. Red flags include a fixed price without a scan, a promise that a graft will always succeed, pressure to book quickly, and no plan for a problem after you travel home. Read how our process works and request a written plan through our free quote page.
Questions to ask the clinic:
- Where will the bone be taken from and how much do I need?
- Would a substitute material or a mixed graft be an option, and why or why not?
- When will the implant be placed, and is a second trip needed?
- What happens if the graft does not integrate?
- Who looks after me when I am back home?
Hospitals with Dental Treatments in Turkey
Frequently asked questions
It is bone taken from your own body, usually the chin, the back of the lower jaw or the hip, and placed where bone is missing. It is most often used to rebuild jawbone before dental implants.
Yes. Implants in grafted bone have survival rates close to those in natural bone when the graft is well planned. The drawbacks are a second surgical site and some shrinkage of the graft during healing.
Approximate ranges are €400 to €5,500 in Turkey, against about €1,200 to €9,000 in the UK. The price rises with the amount of bone, the donor site and whether implants are included.
Swelling peaks within three days and settles over a week, and stitches are removed after one to two weeks. The graft needs about four to six months to join the jaw before an implant is placed.
The area is numbed during surgery. Afterwards the donor and graft sites are sore and swollen for several days, and most people manage with the prescribed painkillers. A hip donor site is usually more uncomfortable than a mouth site.
Own bone offers living cells and growth factors that other materials lack, which is why it is the reference material. Substitutes avoid a second wound, and many plans combine the two.
Small amounts come from the chin, the back of the lower jaw or drilling shavings at the implant site. Large reconstructions use bone from the hip, and rarely the shin or skull.
Risks include donor-site pain, infection, graft exposure or failure, nerve injury with lip or chin numbness, and sinus problems after upper-jaw work. Smoking and poor oral hygiene raise the chance of failure.
Once integrated, the graft becomes part of your jaw and lasts like natural bone, provided you keep gum health good and the implant is looked after. Some shrinkage in the first months is expected.
About three to five nights for a mouth graft and around a week for hip-bone reconstruction. Implants are usually placed four to six months later, which means a second trip.