Sometimes there is a bone defect but it is not extensive. There are situations where the dental implant can be placed and the grafting done at the same time. Different bone and bone substitutes can be used in these situations. This way the treatment is shortened significantly. We do not have to wait for the bone to graft which is usually many months.
Another example of placing implants and grafting at the same time is with Lateral Window sinus grafting. If there is enough bone to stabilize the dental implant (meaning the dental implant is in the bone securely and will not move during healing) then the dental implant can be placed at the same time as the Lateral Window sinus grafting procedure. This video shows the "Lateral window" technique.
Another example of placing implants and grafting at the same time is with internal sinus grafting. If there is enough bone to stabilize the dental implant (meaning the dental implant is in the bone securely and will not move during healing) then the dental implant can be placed at the same time as the internal sinus grafting procedure. This video shows the "internal sinus lift" technique.
This animation demonstrates how we can use the technique of ridge splitting to allow implant placement in areas where the ridge was initially not sufficient for implant placement. The ridge is separated and the implants placed in between the two parts.