Tooth extraction is one of the most common dental procedures. Healing of the resulting extraction socket normally occurs uneventfully. However, even with completely normal healing, there is often some resorption or melting away of the surrounding bone, resulting in less height and width than were present prior to tooth extraction. In addition, as bone resorbs the overlying gum tissue also tends to lose both volume and its normal anatomic form. These changes can occur anywhere but the most severe loss of bone and gum tissue tends to occur following removal of incisor teeth located in the front of the mouth.
Loss of bone and gum tissue following tooth extraction often results in both functional and cosmetic defects. Such tissue loss often results in an unsightly collapsed appearance, especially in the front of the mouth where proper maintenance of tissue health is critical to normal esthetics. In addition, loss of bone and gum tissue often compromise the dentist’s ability to adequately replace the missing tooth or teeth with either conventional removable or fixed bridgework or with a dental implant supported restoration. Sometimes the loss of bone is so severe that additional surgical procedures are required prior to replacing the missing tooth with either a conventional or implant supported restoration.
Today, because of advances in dental surgical procedures and bioengineering, bone and gum tissue loss following tooth removal can either be greatly reduced or completely eliminated. Following removal of the tooth by our doctors, a specially bio engineered graft material that helps support bone formation is placed within the extraction socket.
This bone graft material, Bio-Oss, with structure similar to human bone, not only supports new bone growth but also has been shown to preserve bone and overlying soft tissue following tooth removal. The Bio-Oss graft material is then covered with a natural fiber material, collagen, to protect both the graft and newly forming bone as well as to help support and help guide new soft tissue growth. Together, the Bio-Oss/Collagen system helps prevent bone and gum loss following tooth removal.
These procedures are usually done in our office under local anesthesia with I.V. sedation. The procedures themselves are without pain. Post-operatively there may be some swelling and mild to moderate discomfort. Your doctor will prescribe an oral analgesic to help relieve your discomfort.