When teeth become irreparably damaged often because they have become decayed, cosmetic dentists such as Dr. Sturm, Dr. Snapp and Dr. Caldwell at our South Charlotte dentist office have to extract them. Although extraction of a tooth takes care of the temporary problem of a decayed tooth, it creates the problem of bone degeneration.
Degeneration to the bone surrounding the teeth, which is called the alveolar or ridge bone, begins to occur as soon as a tooth is extracted. After the bone degenerates, the gum tissue begins to melt away. This leads to the loss of horizontal width and vertical height on the bone ridge. Thankfully, there are methods of preventing this degeneration from occurring.
How to Preserve the Ridge Bone
The first part of bone preservation begins at the time of the extraction when the dentist inserts a socket site preservation in order to protect the underlying bone. This preservation begins by inserting bone replacement material into the extraction socket.
Around three to 12 months after the procedure, placing a dental implant in the socket will ensure long-lasting support thus preserving the jawbone. A dental implant is a tooth made of synthetic material made to look, feel and function like a real tooth. In many cases, tooth implants are made to look just like the surrounding teeth, so the implants will blend seamlessly into the patient’s mouth.
In some instances, it is possible for dentists to place the implant at the same time as the tooth extraction. However, in most cases, it is best to wait a least a few months for the site to heal. If anyone is wondering how to go about getting a tooth extraction and ensure proper site preservation, they should seek the cosmetic dentists at our South Charlotte office, Park Cedar Dentistry.
