Periodontal Socket Preservation
When teeth are lost, the underlying bone will resorb and shrink both vertically and horizontally. Within 3 months, 50% of the bone volume will be lost. The bone which supports the teeth, when it no longer receives stimulation from forces on the teeth will just melt away. Teeth that are hopeless due to root canal infection, fracture, decay or trauma may also create a situation where bone needs to be augmented by means of grafting.
Notice the concavity (gums curve inward) and loss of bone height
Notice the thickness and adequate bone height
When teeth are extracted, we can isolate the socket and “rebuild” the walls to appropriate height and width using bone grafts and barrier membranes at the time of extraction.
During this procedure, the gums surrounding the socket are separated from the bone to expose the remaining bone and a sheet of material is placed under the gum. The material comes in many forms but is used to prevent gum cells from making their way into the socket. A bone grafting material will be placed into the socket and covered by the membrane. Your bone cells will move into the socket and fill it out to ensure an adequate dimension to receive an implant.
If you have any questions about the periodontal Socket Preservation procedures we offer, please call our office. We look forward to serving your periodontal needs.
