A ridge augmentation or socket preservation is a common dental procedure that is often performed following a tooth extraction to help recreate the natural contour and health of the gums and jaw. The gums and jaw may have been lost due to tooth loss, extraction, periodontal disease, trauma or for another reason. The procedures fill the area of lost bone with bone substitute to encourage your body to rebuild bone and repair the socket.
The alveolar ridge of the jaw is the bone that surrounds the tooth’s root. When a tooth is removed, a hole is left in the alveolar bone, called a socket. Often times, the empty socket can heal on its own. Other cases, the bone can be damaged and not able to heal on its own. In this case, the height and width of the alveolar bone will continue to deteriorate.
To correct the problem, the gums are lifted away from the bone and the ridge is exposed. The area of concern or defect is filled with bone or bone substitute to build up the ridge. Your doctor will help you decide which bone grafting material is right for you to help regenerate the most bone and tissue. The incision is closed and allowed to heal. Depending on each patient’s individual needs, the bone usually will be allowed to heal for about 4-12 months before an implant is placed. In certain cases, the dental implant can be placed at the same time as the ridge augmentation.
Ridge augmentation has been showed to greatly improve appearance and increase the chance for successful dental implants that will last many years. Ridge augmentation allows us to rebuild the bone that may have been lost and help prevent further bone loss. A socket preservation is important for replacing the front teeth and can greatly improve your smile’s appearance. Be sure to ask if you can benefit from socket preservation or ridge augmentation!