Bone grafts can help with cases of severe periodontal disease. If your teeth have become loose, a bone graft can help save them from extraction. Bone grafts can regenerate the bone surrounding the teeth to provide extra support. A bone graft is needed when your bone is insufficient or too low to hold dental implants. When teeth are lost, the surrounding bone melts away and weakens. An implant is only as successful as the supporting bone. Therefore, a bone graft may be needed to generate sufficient bone volume. Bone grafts are also used in tooth extractions. It is common for a dentist to place bone grafting material into the socket after extracting a tooth. This allows a person to easily get a dental implant down the road if they so desire.