Tooth Extraction & Bone Grafting
 A tooth extraction is the procedure done to remove a tooth that is damaged beyond repair from its socket in the jawbone. Extractions are also done to remove wisdom teeth that may be impacted or create future problems.
Many extractions can be performed in our Albuquerque office; however, more complicated procedures may be referred to one of our trusted oral surgeons.
Why Are Teeth Extracted?
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Severely decayed teeth
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Periodontal disease leading to bone loss
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Fractured in such a way that it is impossible or impractical to repair
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Badly positioned (impacted wisdom teeth)
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Non-functional or poorly functional teeth that should be replaced with a bridge, denture or dental implant |
Extractions are generally classified as either non-surgical (also known as "simple") or surgical (involving cutting through the gums and tooth). A simple procedure can quickly become a surgical procedure if the tooth fractures or refuses to loosen under pressure. We perform these procedures only after making the extraction site(s) profoundly numb.
Socket Preservation
When tooth removal becomes unavoidable, the question of jaw preservation becomes paramount. If a tooth is lost, there are a few risk factors that arise. Without feedback from a tooth, the bone under your gums can begin to recede, this is known as bone loss. The gums surrounding the lost tooth can also start to recede. When bone and tissue loss takes place in your mouth the surrounding teeth can be adversely affected. In order to avoid further tooth loss, and the changes in facial structure that come with bone and tissue loss, we provide a treatment option called socket preservation procedure that can prevent such occurrences.
What does socket preservation procedure entail?
When a tooth is removed from your jaw, a hole is left behind. This hole is the socket that the root of your tooth sat. To prevent bone and tissue loss we will fill the socket with bone or bone substitute. Once the socket has been filled it is capped and the gums are sutured closed. The site will heal and the bone in the socket will integrate into the bone within your jaw.
Socket preservation is critical to the health of your mouth. This procedure has the ability to provide many benefits to your oral health in the event of tooth loss. The strong bone structure it provides acts not only as insurance that your oral health will be maintained, it can provide dental implants a solid base in the future.
What Is Bone Grafting?
Bone grafting is a surgical procedure that is used to fix problems associated with the bone or joints. It involves transplanting bone tissue, and in the field of dentistry, it is most commonly completed so that there is enough bone available to support dental implants.
Major Bone Grafting
Bone grafting is essential in repairing implant sites to contain adequate bone structure. This may be needed due to tooth loss, previous extractions, trauma, or gum disease. The bone will either be harvested from somewhere else in your body, such as the tibia, hip or jaw, or it can be taken from a cadaver or animal source. Special membranes are also used to encourage bone regeneration and bone grafts, and the most successful regeneration efforts will occur when using live bone from your own body.
Major bone grafting is usually performed in order to repair jaw defects. These may have resulted from congenital defects, tumor surgery, or some type of traumatic injury. The largest defects are typically corrected using the patient’s own bone, and the procedures are generally performed in an operating room and may require an overnight hospital stay.
Benefits of Bone Grafting
Bone grafting will be done to restore the bone in your jaw to its previous form, and it may also be used to maintain the existing bone structure after you have had teeth extracted. These activities are important for several reasons. First, dental implant placement will require that the bone of the jaw is as close to the original dimensions as possible in order to achieve optimal results. Additionally, the jaw and facial bones will support the muscles and skin that make up your facial shape and appearance, and without this underlying support, your face may look prematurely aged.
Preparing for Your Bone Grafting Procedure
Prior to the surgery, you’ll need to go through a periodontal treatment known as scaling and root planing. You should also be sure to care for you teeth properly by brushing and flossing twice per day.
Anesthesia will be used during the procedure, so it is important that you follow the steps outlined by your dentist or surgeon in order to prepare for the procedure. This will likely involve avoiding food and beverages for six hours prior to your appointment, not smoking, and taking other precautions. Our team will outline all of the preparation steps you need to take prior to your appointment.
After Your Bone Grafting Procedure
Following your bone grafting procedure, you’ll likely be prescribed pain medication to help with your discomfort. Be sure to follow your surgeon’s instructions regarding how often and when to take any medications that you are prescribed. Swelling is also common, and you can use an ice pack placed on the outside of your mouth to help with this.
It is important to keep your mouth as clean as possible as you heal. Be sure to brush and floss the unaffected portions of your mouth normally. Dr. Ng will provide additional tips on how to safely keep the rest of your mouth clean.
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