A common issue of patients needing dental implants is bone loss, or alveolar ridge defects. For a dental implant to be successful, there must be enough bone to support it. Bone grafts are often done, however, new treatment modalities exist, such as alveolar distraction osteogenesis. This procedure involves using a custom made distraction device to augment a deficient alveolar ridge. In studies using this method, the vertical bone gain was significant and did not require a bone transplant. Although some complications were seen as with any alveolar ridge augmentation, the procedure has been identified as a viable one for the augmentation of the alveolar ridge without the need for bone grafting. Bone grafting may have more potential for rejection and complications than alveolar distraction osteogenesis, potentially making this procedure a preferred one by many periodontists. Each patient will need a thorough evaluation to determine if this method is appropriate for their specific needs.