An autograft uses bone taken from the patient’s own body, while an allograft uses donated human bone tissue from another person. Both options are suitable for reconstructive and corrective oral surgery to help rebuild areas where bone has been lost.
Neither option is necessarily “better” than the other. Your doctor will consider your anatomy, the specific procedure, and your treatment goals when recommending either autograft or allograft for your oral surgery.
At Bend Oral Surgery, we’re experts in oral, maxillofacial, and implant surgery, working with clients from throughout Central Oregon and beyond. Below, we’re explaining the differences between autograft vs. allograft to help you understand your options when booking in for oral surgery.
What is an Autograft?
An autograft uses the patient’s own bone, which may be harvested from an appropriate intraoral or extraoral site, depending on the procedure and amount of bone required. Autogenous bones are described by the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons as “living bone tissue containing viable bone cells, progenitor cells, and regenerative growth factors”.
As the bone comes from the patient’s own body, there’s not a human tissue donor involved. The main thing to consider with autograft is that it involves a second surgical site where the bone is harvested from, which can impact recovery time.
What is an Allograft?
An allograft is human donor bone tissue obtained from another person, which is processed for medical use before being supplied for surgical procedures. The main advantage of allograft, compared to autograft, is that the surgeon does not need to harvest bone from another site on the patient’s body, which may streamline recovery.
Allograft is an option that surgeons will consider when the patient would prefer to avoid the additional surgical site. Recovery from a dental graft that involves allograft usually takes 4-6 months in total.
Autograft vs. Allograft: What’s the Difference?
Your oral surgeon will advise you on whether autograft or allograft is the best option for your individual circumstances and surgery goals. However, it’s useful to understand the difference between autograft vs. allograft when attending your consultation:
| Autograft | Allograft | |
| Bone source | Patient’s own bone | Donated human bone |
| Additional harvest site | Yes | No |
| Main consideration | Requires bone harvesting | Avoids a second harvest procedure |
| Use in oral surgery | Bone reconstruction and grafting in some circumstances | Bone reconstruction and grafting in some circumstances |
Your surgeon will consider your overall health and anatomy when deciding whether autograft vs. allograft is the most suitable option for your procedure. Harvesting bone isn’t always viable for every patient or necessary for every grafting procedure.
Which Bone Graft is Better for Dental Implants?
Neither an autograft nor an allograft is necessarily better for every patient, as it depends on your individual circumstances. Dental implants need adequate bone volume and quality, with bone grafting helping to rebuild insufficient bone before or as part of your implant treatment.
Depending on your anatomy and implant treatment plan, you may not need any grafting at all. The appropriate graft option will always depend on your specific defect and surgical plan.
Book a Consultation with a Bone Grafting Specialist in Central Oregon
If you’ve been told that you need a bone graft, our specialist team is on hand to deliver the treatment that you need. Contact our team to schedule a consultation or ask your dentist to refer you to Bend Oral Surgery to continue your care.
