When to Consider Socket Preservation Grafting

If a patient has to have a tooth extracted, their dentist will recommend socket preservation grafting after the extraction. This is to protect the socket and reduce the bone loss that occurs after extraction.

When should you consider socket preservation grafting?

When a tooth is extracted, it leaves a small hole in the mouth that will initially be sensitive. That is why dentists will advise their patients to undergo socket preservation grafting after the extraction to protect the socket.

Some of the reasons why the dentist will recommend the grafting include:

Having a dry socket

Leaving the socket exposed can lead to the development of a dry socket. This can occur if the blood clot protecting the healing area is knocked loose and exposes the nerve behind it.

Preserving the alveolar ridge

Socket preservation grafting preserves the alveolar ridge. That is the strip of bone that surrounds the roots of teeth that they are attached to. If the alveolar ridge is deformed, it can make it difficult to get a dental implant to replace the extracted tooth.

Once socket preservation is complete, the patient’s existing teeth, as well as the bone gaps between the teeth, stay firmly in place and are less susceptible to bone loss.

What happens during the procedure?

Socket preservation grafting can be done using either synthetic materials or the patient’s bone. If the dentist decides to use the patient’s bone, it will be harvested from another part of the jaw, the hip or the tibia.

After the bone graft has been placed in the socket, it will be covered up using a special collagen membrane. In addition to protecting the socket and the bone graft, the special membrane dissolves and stimulates the bone graft, encouraging it to regenerate quickly and solidly.

Is socket preservation grafting necessary?

The aim of socket preservation grafting is to protect the socket and limit the bone loss from the extraction. That way the patient can get dental implants to replace the extracted tooth in the future. Since the procedure is not considered to be valuable to all dentists, some dentists do not offer the procedure when they perform extractions.

The sentiment regarding the procedure seems to be shifting due to recent studies which have shown that socket preservation procedures help reduce alterations in the alveolar ridge near the site of extraction.

What should I do if my dentist does not perform socket preservation grafting?

As previously mentioned, there are some dentists that do not think socket preservation is important. If a patient plans on getting dental implants in the future, then they should look for a dentist that provides the service. If they do not plan on getting implants, then they can go ahead without the procedure. However, when the jawbone begins to deteriorate, it can cause the teeth in the mouth to shift and move in any direction.

Conclusion

Socket preservation grafting is used to protect the hole caused by tooth extraction and prevent bone loss. If you are thinking of getting your tooth extracted and plan on replacing it with dental implants in the future, then make sure the dentist that performs the procedure offers socket preservation grafting.

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