October 27, 2014 by Dr. Shayan
You’ve lost a tooth and now what? Most patients know the different options to replace a tooth once they have lost it. These include a removable complete or partial denture, a bridge, or an implant. Implants have gained tremendous popularity over the years as technology has improved and patients love that an implant is the closest thing to replicating a natural tooth.
What patients may not know, is that once a tooth is lost, the supporting structure that is left behind, bone, begins to remodel and shrink. This is important, especially if patients are thinking of having an implant placed in the space of the missing tooth because to optimize the success of an implant, there is a minimal bone width and bone height that is required. A procedure called socket preservation may help minimize the amount of bone that is lost. This is a simple procedure that involves packing bone particles in the extraction socket immediately or within one month of the extraction. The next time you face the possibility of losing a tooth, consider this additional procedure. If you have any questions or would like more information please feel free to contact us to set up an appointment