Socket Preservation Bone Grafting

 

Preserving Your Jaw Bone after Extraction

Removal of teeth is sometimes necessary because of pain, infection, bone loss or fracture of the tooth. The bone that holds the tooth in place (the socket) is often damaged by disease and/or infection, resulting in a lack of sufficient bone to support a dental implant after the tooth is extracted. In addition, the bone and gum at the extraction site can recede very quickly after the tooth is removed. This can result in an unsightly defect and inadequate lip support.

This type of localized bone deficiency can create difficulty obtaining the desired functional and esthetic results when the treatment plan includes the use of dental implants. Such localized bone deficiencies seen after tooth removal can be prevented and repaired by a procedure called socket preservation. Socket preservation can greatly improve the appearance of your smile, and increase the bone available to support a dental implant.

Several techniques can be used to preserve the bone and minimize bone loss after a tooth is removed. In one common method the tooth is removed and the socket is filled with bone or a bone substitute. The graft is then covered with an artificial membrane and tissue stimulating proteins encourage your body’s natural ability to repair the socket with an augmented volume of new bone. Using this method the socket heals without shrinkage and collapse of the surrounding bone and gum. The newly formed bone provides additional support for an implant to replace the tooth. When necessary, socket preservation will significantly enhance functional and esthetic results. This is particularly important when anterior (front) teeth are being replaced with or without implants.