My son (17) is missing tooth #20. We've gotten 2 opinions on implants. One said graft, another said graft could be done with something called "Bone in a Jar", or that is how she put it. The bone is high enough but is too thin.  I don't understand the "Bone in a Jar" and would like additional opinion. Thank you, Miri Frantz

Dr. Preziosi: The difference between a bone graft from a donor site of the patient and placing freeze dried bone is that the bone graft is living bone that will continue to grow once it establishes a new blood supply in the recipient site. While the freeze dried bone only acts a scaffolding to induce new bone formation around it.  Both techniques are viable options and which is more appropriate depends on a number of variables such as the clinical situation, health of the patient, experience of the surgeon with the different treatments, healing time requirements and so on.  If the restorative dentist does not do these types of surgeries it is usually best to go to the surgeon that the restorative dentist works most closely with because this type of treatment is a group effort and team continuity and communication are the most key aspects of successful treatment.