When a tooth needs to be removed, this could leave a smile vulnerable to a break down in bone tissue and other complications. To help prevent this, and to also prepare a smile for dental implant placement, your Santa Rosa, CA, oral and maxillofacial surgeons could offer ridge preservation.
The Tooth Extraction
We may remove a tooth that has become too damaged, infected, or decayed to undergo treatment with a crown. The removal process prevents the spread of infection to other parts of the smile, but this also leaves your smile vulnerable to the complications of missing teeth, such as misalignment, loss of jawbone density, and even further tooth loss or an aged appearance. To help prevent these complications, we also strive to replace the missing tooth quickly. As soon as we gently extract the tooth, we will take steps to preserve the ridge.
Preserving the Ridge
The body will stop supplying the jawbone around an extracted tooth with doses of calcium and phosphorus, which cause the bone structure to lose density and be resorbed into the body. This breakdown leads to tooth loss and an older appearance for some. However, once we take a tooth out, we can add a special biocompatible material to the extraction site, which prevents resorption and prevents the mass and density of your jawbone. This prevents the changes to the jaw ridge that could lead to oral health concerns, and also complicate the placement of one or more dental implants.
The Dental Implant Placement Process
Once the extraction site has healed, then we can use digital technology to plan and guide the placement of the dental implant, a titanium post that bonds with the jawbone like a root through a process known as osseointegration. The preservation ensures your jaw can support this new root. We then attach an abutment and restoration to finish your new tooth. We could use implants to support bridges or even full or partial dentures. If you have any questions about how we preserve the ridge following extraction, or about the placement of dental implants, then contact our team today to learn more.
Seeing us now means you have the chance to use your 2021 dental insurance benefits before they expire, and before the hectic holiday season makes it difficult to find time to see our team for treatment. We’re ready to help you end 2021 and start 2022 with a strong and whole smile!
Do You Have Any Questions About Preserving Smiles?
We’re ready to help facilitate a comfortable healing process that leaves smiles ready for implants. To learn more about what we do following the extraction to protect your smile, then schedule a consultation by calling Santa Rosa Oral Surgery in Santa Rosa, CA, today at 707-545-4625.