Extraction Site Preservation in Brentwood, Franklin & Nashville

When you need to have a tooth or teeth extracted, whether due to tooth decay, fracture, abscess, gum disease or traumatic injury, Dr. Primm will recommend a socket site preservation to preserve as much of your underlying jawbone as possible for your future restorations.

The bone surrounding your teeth, called alveolar “ridge” bone (jawbone), exists solely to support your teeth. As soon as a tooth is removed, this bone begins to degenerate and “melt away.” At the same time, the overlying gum tissue begins to melt away with the alveolar bone and thins out as the ridge flattens.

 

First, there will be a collapse of the bone surrounding the socket. This makes the remaining ridge narrower than when the tooth was present. Second, there will be a loss of vertical height which makes the remaining bone less “tall.” This process is faster in areas where you wear a partial or complete denture.

You have many options to prevent this, and it is important that you consider them BEFORE any teeth are extracted as some of these procedures are best performed at the time the tooth is removed.

 

Dr. Primm will offer you several choices for replacing the newly missing teeth. All of the options rely on bone support and bone contour for the best function and esthetics and these are just a few:

• Dental implants: Root-shaped supports that hold your replacement teeth. The more bone support you have, the stronger the implant replacements will be. In some cases, the bone can degenerate to a point where implants can no longer be placed without having more complex bone grafting procedures to create the necessary support. Obviously, preventing bone loss is much easier than recreating the bone later.
• Fixed bridge: This is a restoration that is supported by the teeth adjacent to the missing tooth space. The replacement tooth spans across the space. If the bone is deficient, there will be an unsightly space under the bridge that will trap food and affect your speech.
• Other replacement alternatives include removable partial or full implant dentures. These often perform better with more supporting bone as there is added support.

Procedure

Dr. Primm will carefully explain the types of procedures available for the best retention of your alveolar ridge.  Non-traumatic extraction techniques are designed to preserve as much bone as possible and reduce bleeding and discomfort. In addition to non-traumatic extractions, and key to preventing the collapse of the socket, is the addition of bone replacement material to the extraction socket.

Dr. Primm will discuss which types of bone grafting materials and techniques are most appropriate for you. After the tooth is extracted, the socket will be packed with grafting material that will support the tissue surrounding the socket.  In time, this will be replaced by new bone, which will be an excellent support should you choose later to have dental implant-supported replacement teeth.

Placing dental implants three to twelve months after the extraction and socket grafting will provide the best long-lasting support for preserving your jawbone and allow you to function as before.

In some selected cases, it is possible to actually extract the tooth and place the dental implant at the same time.  Dr. Primm will discuss this option with you if it is a viable alternative.

Call 615-370-9486 or SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT