If you have bone loss around your teeth, your Dr. May recommend a surgical procedure to regrow bone where structural support is needed. Bone loss can be caused by a number of different factors, and it can result in lost teeth or the inability to replace teeth with a dental implant. Guided bone regeneration increases the height of alveolar bone around a tooth. This helps reverse the damage caused by periodontal disease and helps save your natural teeth. The first step of the procedure is to fold back the gum tissue and clean the area. Next, a bone substitute is packed into the area and covered with a special healing membrane. Then the area is sutured and given time to heal. During this period, the membrane and bone material solidifies and blends with your natural bone. Once fully healed, the damaged bone will regain its original strength and stability for improved function and aesthetics.