Socket preservation or alveolar ridge preservation is a procedure to reduce bone loss after tooth extraction. After tooth extraction, the jaw bone has a natural tendency to become narrow, and lose its original shape because the bone quickly resorbs, resulting in 30–60% loss in bone volume in the first six months.

Generally, a bone graft permanently fuses with your natural jawbone. It can last forever. However, if an implant doesn’t replace a tooth, the new bone density will deteriorate gradually due to a lack of chewing stimulation. You can expect significant jawbone loss within the first 12 months.

Absolutely, socket preservation exercises a pivotal influence on both the chronological and clinical trajectory of subsequent implant placement. By curtailing the propensity for alveolar bone resorption post-extraction and maintaining the spatial and structural integrity of the socket, this practice fosters a robust foundation for implant integration. Additionally, it minimizes the potential need for more invasive and extensive bone grafting procedures at the time of implant placement, thereby potentially abbreviating and simplifying the implantological journey, and ensuring aesthetically and functionally harmonious outcomes.

Socket preservation embraces a diverse palette of materials, each chosen based on the clinical scenario, practitioner preference, and patient-specific factors. The bone graft material, which can be autogenous, allogenic, xenogenic, or alloplastic, forms the structural cornerstone of the procedure. Further, membranes, which can be resorbable or non-resorbable, are utilized to shield the graft, facilitating optimal osteogenesis and preventing ingrowth of undesirable soft tissue. Suturing materials, which may be absorbable or non-absorbable, secure the soft tissue, ensuring a stable and protective environment for the regenerative process.

While socket preservation is frequently advocated following extractions to safeguard structural integrity, ideal candidacy is nuanced by factors such as the patient’s overall health, the condition of adjacent structures, and future prosthetic plans. Generally, individuals poised for future implant placement or those keen on preserving aesthetic and structural harmony are ideal candidates. Scenarios where it might be judiciously omitted or modified include instances of acute infection, compromised systemic health, or cases where alternative treatment pathways are delineated based on comprehensive clinical evaluation.

Post-procedure care following socket preservation involves a meticulous confluence of protecting the surgical site, adhering to prescribed pharmacologic management, and ensuring optimal oral hygiene without disturbing the regenerative process. Patients are guided to avoid undue pressure or trauma to the site, adhere to a conducive dietary regimen, and follow a tailored oral hygiene protocol that circumvents disruption of the healing site while maintaining overall oral health. Regular follow-up appointments ensure the trajectory of healing and recovery is monitored, optimizing outcomes, and navigating any potential post-operative concerns.

While the fundamental ethos of socket preservation—being the conservation of alveolar bone post-extraction—is universally acknowledged, variations in technique, material selection, and ancillary procedures may be sculpted based on clinical presentation, practitioner preference, and evolving scientific evidence. Different clinicians might leverage diverse graft materials, membranes, or employ adjunctive procedures such as PRF (Platelet-Rich Fibrin) based on the individualized needs of the patient and the clinical scenario, thus tailoring the procedure to optimize regenerative outcomes in a personalized manner.

Complications, while relatively rare when socket preservation is executed meticulously, can encompass aspects such as infection, graft or membrane displacement, prolonged healing, or suboptimal bone regeneration. Precise surgical technique, rigorous post-operative management, and adherence to post-care instructions significantly mitigate these risks, ensuring that the regenerative process unfolds in a clinically optimal manner, thereby paving the way for successful future prosthetic endeavors.

We provide dental treatments to patients across the whole of London and have provided specialist dental Implant treatments to patients in areas such as: Aldgate, Bow, Barnet, Camden, Chelsea, Clapham, Clapton, Croydon, Dalston, Deptford, Dulwich, Ealing, Fulham, Hackney, Hammersmith, Hanwell, Hendon, Highbury, Highgate, Isle of Dogs, Islington, Mile End, Millwall, New Cross, Plaistow, Poplar, Shoreditch, Stepney, Streatham, Sutton, Totteridge, Tower Hill, Twickenham, Watford, Whetstone, White Chapel and Wimbledon.