Bone grafting is required before the placement of an implant, if you are edentulous for too long and the bone began to recess, the jawbone began to grow thinner and extenuate.

Different techniques and materials (your own bone from an other area of your body or artificial substitutes) can be used for the procedure, depending on the deficit of the bone. It's an easily done and relatively painless dental surgery, performed under local anesthesia.