BONE PRESERVATION & REGENERATION in Memphis TN

Bone preservation or regeneration is often required in advance of dental implant placement. Dr. Godat and Dr. King perform preservation or regeneration procedures in our Memphis periodontal office, to strengthen and regrow bone around the site of a planned implant and increase the chances of implant success.

What is Bone Preservation?

When a tooth is lost, the gum and bone that make up the socket quickly begin to deteriorate. Without a tooth root in place, the bone is no longer stimulated, and begins to dissolve. If a tooth is lost or extracted, steps must be taken to preserve the socket and surrounding bone to support a restoration and prevent the loss of adjacent teeth.

Ridge preservation or socket preservation can be implemented immediately after a tooth is lost or extracted. The socket is filled with bio-compatible material, which may include a form of scaffolding and a membrane, to help fill the gap and maintain the shape and strength of the jaw. The gum is closed over the scaffolding until a restoration can be completed.

Benefits of Bone Preservation

Ridge preservation helps maintain the bone tissue in order to support the function of dental implants. When a socket preservation is done immediately after the loss or extraction of a tooth, the area can remain viable until a dental implant is placed. The implant is accepted by the underlying bone as similar to the root of a regular tooth, and the bone will continue to grow and stay strong around the implant just as it would around an original tooth.

Am I a Candidate for Bone Preservation?

If you have recently lost a tooth or are having a tooth extracted, ask our Memphis periodontists about socket preservation. It can provide a way to keep the site of the tooth loss active and viable until a restoration can be done, and improve your chances of a successful dental implant.

Bone Regeneration

The LANAP procedure can now be used to stimulate bone growth, if bone loss is not significant. The stimulation of the laser can trigger bone regrowth, without the need for a bone graft. However, in cases of serious bone loss, bone grafting may be the only way to restore enough bone to support dental implants.

Contact us today for a consultation and find out if bone preservation or regeneration is right for you.