This is also known as socket bone preservation. This type of bone grafting is performed at the time of tooth extraction to preserve or augment bone and prepare the site for placement of a dental implant at a later time.
Following any tooth extraction, the bone often undergoes gradual shrinkage and diminishes in both width and height. This can result in loss of tissue architecture, making the site inadequate for dental implants or any other types of teeth replacement. It also results in poor aesthetics and difficult function. Extraction site bone grafting prevents such bone loss and preserves normal tissue form.
The grafted bone material undergoes gradual healing as it is replaced by the body’s natural bone. This process typically takes four to six months. A dental implant is then placed and allowed to heal for several months before the final prosthesis is made. On occasion, an immediate restoration may be made providing you with your new teeth on the same day.
An extracted site which has been grafted heals within four to six months. At that time a dental implant can be placed predictably and in proper position. The implant is allowed to heal for two to four months before placement of the final crown or bridge. Sometimes, an immediate restoration may be placed on the same day as an implant, providing immediate function and aesthetics benefits.
Occasionally, bone may be thin around a dental implant. A similar bone grafting procedure may be done to augment it and create additional support. This type of bone graft takes the same time to heal as it takes for the bone to remodel around the implant after it has been placed.
