Socket Preservation
Socket Preservation is one of the more common surgical techniques performed in our office. When it has been determined that a tooth is hopeless and needs to be extracted, a decision needs to be made regarding the restorative future of that space. Socket preservation refers to a
bone grafting technique that involves filling the empty socket (following extraction of a tooth) with a bone graft in attempt to preserve the height and width of the existing bone.
Socket preservation is performed primarily when a tooth needs to be extracted and there is a plan to replace the tooth with a dental implant. Since the dental implant will utilize this bone for stability in the future, we want to ensure there is adequate volume to house the implant. Socket preservation utilizes a bone graft and a membrane to facilitate healing and preservation of the jawbone height and width for future implant placement.
Socket preservation is not always necessary for implant placement. However, most of the time, the socket that remains once a tooth is extracted is larger or not ideally located for implant placement. In this case, socket preservation is performed so that implant placement can be precise or ideal for the future crown. In other instances, the socket that remains is smaller or more shallow than the implant that will replace it. In this case, an implant can sometimes be placed immediately.