Ridge Preservation

What Is Ridge Preservation?

The area that is receiving treatment will be thoroughly numbed with local anesthesia. After we ensure you are comfortable, we will make small incisions around the tooth and gently move the gums out of the way. The tooth is removed, taking care to protect surrounding structures. In some cases, a tooth may be split into several pieces to allow easier removal. After the tooth is removed, the remaining socket will be thoroughly cleaned to remove any bacteria or infection that is left behind. Then, the bone graft will be gently placed into the socket and covered with a collagen membrane to hold everything in place, and the area is secured with several stitches.

We offer multiple sedation options for surgical procedures, if needed.

Graft Materials

Bone graft materials are obtained in several ways, most often from cows, pigs, or human cadavers. The donors have no positive history of known systemic disease, and blood tests are negative for any infections. The grafts are extensively tested for bacterial contaminants and processed under strict laboratory conditions known to kill all bacteria and viruses, under experimental conditions. The graft material is placed in a vacuum-sealed sterile container until it is ready to be opened during surgery. All materials used are FDA approved.

During the procedure, we also draw a small amount of your blood and spin it in a centrifuge to separate out all the good growth factors that your body naturally produces. We mix those growth factors in with the bone graft before placing it in the socket. This additional step helps to significantly enhance healing.

Treatment Timeline

Visit 1: Consult & Exam

Review of health history and determine diagnosis
Review recommended treatment plan and answer all questions

Visit 2: Extraction & Bone Graft

Sedation (optional) and local anesthesia
Completion of surgical procedure with tooth extraction and bone graft
Review post-op instructions and care

Visit 3: Post-op (3 weeks)

Check the area for normal healing
Remove sutures
Review and update home care instructions
Additional post-op appointments may be scheduled as necessary, based on healing
Note: You may not see the doctor at your post-op appointment, but they are always available to answer any question if you need. Do not hesitate to ask!