Sometimes, we need to remove a tooth to protect your oral health and avoid discomfort. But once we do, the structure that supported the tooth begins to resorb, and this could cause a loss of mass and density that complicates dental implant placement. Which is why your Santa Rosa and Rohnert, Park, CA, oral surgeons will offer ridge preservation.
The Tooth Extraction Process
We could remove a tooth that is too decayed, infected, or damaged to be treated with a dental restoration. Extraction also helps address teeth loosened by gum disease, or to help facilitate orthodontic treatment. We could also remove wisdom teeth before they erupt can cause painful impactions, and in turn, we can often remove impacted teeth that develop due to various factors. We always administer a local numbing agent and sedation to ensure our patients are calm and comfortable, and the procedure itself usually takes about 30 minutes. Most people need to rest for a day or two, and return to normal activities soon.
The Loss of Jawbone Density
But when a tooth is lost, whether due to poor oral hygiene or a necessary extraction, the body will respond by suspending or diverting the flow of calcium and phosphorus to the jawbone. Without these nutrients, the bone tissue begins to lose mass and density. This means further tooth loss and for some, a prematurely aged appearance. This could cause your smile to weaken so severely that replacement with dental implants is impossible without first undergoing grafting or issue lift procedures, as there isn’t enough structure to support a new root.
Preservation and Implant Placement
Once your tooth or teeth have been extracted, we can use ridge preservation to help preserve the extraction site. This prevents the loss of mass and density in the time between extraction and the placement of dental implants. The process uses donor or synthetic tissues to keep the site strong and whole. When we insert the dental implants later on, this helps further protect the smile, allowing your new teeth to last for decades to come. You can maintain your youthful features too, allowing you to feel confident about your smile.
If you have any questions about how we preserve the site, or about the placement of dental implants, then contact our team today to learn more. We want to help you enjoy a strong, healthy, and beautiful smile.
Do You Have Questions About Ridge Preservation?
We would like to use oral surgery to protect the health, beauty, and function of your smile. To learn more about how we prepare your smile for receiving dental implants, then schedule a consultation by calling Santa Rosa Oral Surgery in Santa Rosa, CA, today at 707-545-4625.