Bone Grafting and Extractions

A tooth may need to be extracted due to cavities which have destroyed too much of the tooth to repair, teeth grinding which has fractured one or more teeth, accident, injury, or advanced periodontal disease with resulting bone loss or resorption.

Losing a tooth can cause an indentation (or sunken area) in the gum tissue and jawbone where the tooth used to be. The alveolar ridge (jawbone) that supported the tooth deteriorates (resorbs). If a replacement tooth, or dental implant, is put in as soon as possible after a tooth extraction, it greatly reduces the amount of jawbone resorption that will occur.

Bone loss for any of these reasons can be repaired through ridge augmentation, bone grafting, and socket preservation techniques.