What does ‘bone grafting’ refer to in dental implantology?

In dental implantology, 'bone grafting' specifically refers to the procedure aimed at augmenting or replacing deficient bone to provide a stable foundation for dental implants. When patients have insufficient bone due to factors such as tooth loss, periodontal disease, or developmental anomalies, bone grafting becomes essential. The graft material can be sourced from the patient (autograft), a donor (allograft), or synthetic materials, and it promotes new bone growth through processes such as osteoconduction and osteoinduction. This procedure enhances the density and volume of bone in the implant site, ultimately improving the chances of successful implant placement and integration.

The other options do not accurately represent the purpose and function of bone grafting. Reshaping existing bone is more descriptive of surgical shaping techniques rather than grafting. Extracting teeth efficiently does not relate to the purpose of grafting bone, and cleaning infection from bone is related to managing infections rather than enhancing bone for implants. Thus, the focus of bone grafting in this context is on augmenting or replacing deficient bone to support dental implants effectively.