After a tooth extraction, site preservation helps maintain the natural shape of your jaw and gums by placing bone grafting material in the socket. This procedure supports future tooth replacement options, such as dental implants, and helps prevent bone loss, ensuring long-term oral health and function.
If a tooth is removed and nothing is done with the extraction site, the jaw bone will degenerate, changing shape during the healing process. This eventually can cause your teeth to shift creating problems in your bite and affect your ability to speak and chew.
If you want to fill the space with a dental implant, a sturdy jaw bone is necessary to install the implant. While extracting your tooth and preserving the site, bone grafting material will be placed into the socket to support the jaw bone. The bone graft material will eventually be replaced by your own bone. Once this has occurred, an implant can be placed into the site where the tooth was extracted.
