Implants
Socket preservation (ridge preservation)
Socket preservation, also called ridge preservation, places graft material in the empty socket after a tooth is removed to help keep the shape and height of the bone.
After a tooth is pulled, the bone around the empty socket begins to shrink. A review in the NIH library reports that within one year of extraction, on average, half of the ridge width is lost. To limit that, the dentist can fill the socket with bone graft material right after the extraction, often covered with a membrane or a stitch. This helps keep enough bone for a later dental implant or a good fit for a bridge. It adds a step and a healing time, and it is not needed in every case. Your dentist will talk with you about whether it fits. See our bone grafting page.