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There are many types of bone grafts available for use in periodontics. No single type is universally applicable for every grafting situation since each has its own particular advantages and disadvantages. Osseous grafts alone cannot be considered a panacea for success, and are not substitutes for other forms of treatment since each proven therapeutic modality has its proper place in periodontics. Bone grafts are predictable when the patient, the defect, and the graft material are carefully chosen and meticulous attention to detail is paid. Whether current osseous grafts will be supplanted by newer grafting materials or more predictable regenerative techniques can be determined only by continued experimental research and critical clinical evaluation. For the present, bone grafts should be part of the armamentarium for the clinician whose objective is to reconstruct the lost periodontal attachment apparatus.