Socket preservation is bone grafting completed during an extraction procedure that guides the replacement of missing bone with bone material from the patient's own body or an artificial, synthetic, or natural substitute. The graft not only replaces missing bone, but also helps your body to regenerate its own bone. Over time your own newly formed bone will replace much of the grafted material.
Socket preservation is beneficial in that it provides a solid foundation to place dental implants and maintains bone levels for an unspecified period of time. It is important to remember that over time, jawbone associated with missing teeth atrophies or is reabsorbed. This often leaves a condition in which there is poor quality and quantity of bone suitable for the placement of dental implants. In these situations, patients may require additional bone grafting procedures.
