Socket Preservation
Socket preservation, or ridge preservation, is a dental procedure to prevent bone and soft tissue loss after tooth extraction. It involves filling the socket with bone graft material to maintain alveolar ridge volume and contour, crucial for successful implant placement and aesthetic outcomes.
Scientific background
Bone and soft-tissue remodeling after tooth extraction has been investigated thoroughly.
Clinical studies show that:
- After tooth extraction, severe volume loss occurs because of bone and soft-tissue resorption.
- Two-thirds of resorption take place within the first three months.
Therefore, at the time of implant placement and if no Ridge Preservation is performed,
- The need for Guided Bone Regeneration is ten times higher.
- The need for Sinus Floor Elevation is two times higher and the number of more invasive procedures four times higher.
Spontaneous healing.
A: After tooth extraction. B: 2 months after tooth extraction
On the other hand, several studies, including randomized controlled clinical trials and meta-analyses, show that Ridge Preservation with Geistlich biomaterials can:
- Prevent horizontal and vertical volume loss even in sites with thin buccal bone walls.
- Optimize the bone and soft-tissue situation irrespective of the chosen time for implantation.
- Improve the aesthetic outcome by preserving the alveolar ridge volume and contour under pontics.
Volume preservation with Ridge Preservation technique:
A: After tooth extraction. B: 3 months after tooth extraction.