Ideally, our oral surgeons and team like to avoid a tooth extraction whenever possible. If a tooth simply cannot be saved or poses a potential threat to your nearby teeth or overall oral health, an extraction may be the best course of treatment for you. Once you have recovered from your extraction, our oral surgeons may want to see you again to discuss your restoration options. Part of this process will involve a treatment known as socket preservation.

Once a tooth is extracted, the bone mass that surrounded and supported the tooth will begin to deteriorate in a process referred to as resorption. In order to keep the extraction site healthy and to prepare it for a restoration, such as a bridge or a dental implant, we will take steps to preserve the socket.

During the extraction, our oral surgeons will take care to avoid damaging the socket and preserve as much bone tissue as possible. If necessary, we may need to see you for a bone graft to build up the area and prevent the collapse of the socket. After thoroughly cleaning the socket, our oral surgeons will place the graft in the socket and allow it to heal. This will maintain the integrity of the extraction site and make it easier for our oral surgeons to place a bridge, denture or implant.

If you are scheduled for an extraction at our office, be sure to talk with our oral surgeons and team about how socket preservation can benefit your oral health and the future of your smile.