Ridge Preservation

Your teeth are an important feature in your mouth, responsible for many essential daily functions. This is why, when your teeth undergo issues, we do everything we can to save them. However, there are some instances in which teeth cannot be saved, and need to be extracted. At Implant and Periodontal Wellness Center of Arizona, we can perform ridge preservation to help maintain the integrity of your jaw following an extraction.

What Is Ridge Preservation?

A ridge preservation is a type of bone graft that is performed immediately following a tooth extraction, and it is done to prevent the area around the extraction from collapsing. The material is packed into the empty socket left behind following an extraction. There are multiple types of bone graft material that can be used for a ridge preservation:

•	Autogenous. Your bone is used to fill the empty sockets. This type of graft is preferable, as there is no risk of rejection.
•	Allogenic. Bone is taken from a donor.
•	Xenogenic. Bone from another species is used, after first being processed at high temperatures to minimize the risk of infection or rejection.
•	Synthetic bone graft materials.

Why Is it Necessary?

When you chew, the roots of your teeth stimulate your jawbone. This sends a message to your body that nutrients are needed to keep the bone, and the supporting structures, strong. When a tooth is removed, the jaw loses some of that stimulation. As a result, fewer nutrients are sent, and your jaw begins to weaken and change shape. As a result, surrounding healthy teeth can be affected, your teeth may shift, and your face changes shape, giving you a more aged appearance.

Why Might a Tooth Require Extraction?

Because your teeth are so important, we do everything we can to save them. However, despite our best efforts, saving a tooth is not always an option. There are a few different reasons why your tooth might need to be extracted:

•	Significant decay.
•	Severe gum disease.
•	The tooth is broken or shattered below the gumline.
•	You have an infection in the tooth, and a root canal is not an option.
•	You have a compromised immune system, and a tooth might be at risk for infection.

How Is the Procedure Performed?

A bone preservation begins with tooth extraction. After a local anesthetic (and sedative, if necessary, to help you relax), we remove the tooth or teeth. Next, incisions are made on your gum tissue and pulled back to expose the bone. The empty sockets are filled with the graft material. Once filled, we may place a membrane over the site for guided tissue bone regeneration. This keeps the bone and the gum tissue separate while you heal, preventing gum tissue from forming where the bone should be. Finally, the gums are stitched closed, and you can begin to heal.

Benefits of Ridge Preservation

There are several benefits to ridge preservation. First, the shape of your jaw is preserved. In turn, this helps to preserve the shape of your face, preventing the aged look that often accompanies tooth loss. Quite possibly the biggest benefit is that ridge preservation allows for dental implants to be placed shortly after healing. More of your natural bone is preserved, and you avoid the need for a more invasive bone graft procedure.

If you need to have a tooth extracted, be sure to ask Implant and Periodontal Wellness Center of Arizona about a ridge preservation. Call us at (480) 504-0506 to schedule a consultation.

Office Hours

Monday	8–5
Tuesday	8–5
Wednesday	7–4
Thursday	8–5
Friday	8–12

Closed for Lunch	12–1

Contact Us

4455 E. Camelback Road
Suite #E-100
Phoenix, AZ 85018

(480) 504-0506