Bone Grafting-Socket Preservation

Sometimes it’s necessary to remove your teeth. Reasons may include infection, pain, a fracture in one or more of your teeth, or bone loss. The bone, which keeps the teeth in place in your mouth, is referred to as the socket. It may get damaged very often by infection or disease and lead to a jaw deformity after the extraction of the tooth. Furthermore, after the removal of teeth, there can be shrinkage and recession of the surrounding gum tissue and bone very quickly, which can result in an unsightly and embarrassing defect. Cheeks and lips could also collapse, and you may experience difficulty in chewing.

These defects in the jaw can also cause significant problems for an oral surgeon while they perform restorative dentistry on your teeth, whether the treatment involves placement of dentures, bridges, or dental implants(Oral surgeons don’t perform restorative dentistry, dentures or bridges). Socket preservation is a type of bone grafting procedure that can help in preventing and repairing the deformities of the jaw caused by tooth removal. With the help of socket preservation, the appearance of your smile can improve significantly. Furthermore, it can substantially increase the chances of successful dental implants.

It’s essential to protect a socket after tooth removal to prevent dry socket. Socket preservation also helps in preserving the alveolar ridge, which is a strip of the bone surrounding the teeth roots to which the teeth are attached. If there is an existing deformity in your alveolar ridge, it may lead to complications if you later need a dental implant. Our oral surgeons will ensure that there is a requisite bone level to restore the extracted tooth as part of our process.

Your oral surgeon may use several techniques both for preserving bone and minimizing bone loss post(after) tooth extraction. In one method that is used commonly, after the removal of a tooth, the oral surgeon fills the empty socket with bone substitute or bone. After that, they cover it with an artificial membrane, tissue, or gum that encourages the natural ability of your body to repair and preserve the socket. This method of socket preservation helps to heal the socket and eliminates collapse and shrinkage of the gum tissue surrounding the socket and also the facial tissues. The newly formed bone in your socket acts as a foundation or a base for a dental implant to restore the lost tooth.

Do you Require Socket Preservation?

The socket preservation procedure aims to help in improving the appearance and alignment of your remaining teeth and the surrounding gums. It also helps in reducing the complications of a dental implant procedure in the future. In case you have been recommended tooth removal by your dentist, make sure to discuss whether it is necessary to do socket preservation also. Socket preservation is especially important if you plan to replace your teeth with implants.

Care after Tooth Extraction

After a tooth (or teeth) extraction, it’s critical to not only protect the gum line but also to improve your level of comfort as there is healing of the socket. Your oral surgeon or dentist may ask you to hold off on brushing your teeth for a minimum of one day after teeth extraction. You should also avoid any activities that may increase pressure in the mouth, such as using straws or smoking cigarettes. Avoid eating hard foods as they may remove the blood clot from the wound and cause complications.

If you have any concerns regarding your socket after tooth extraction, call your oral surgeon for help. Socket preservation after a tooth extraction is a straightforward procedure with complications only occurring very rarely.