Georgetown Periodontics & Implant Dentistry

Socket Preservation

The shared objective of the entire dental industry begins with always making every effort to save your natural teeth and to replace missing teeth. During your dental exam, however, Georgetown Periodontics & Implant Dentistry could identify a tooth that cannot be saved or even another tooth that should be removed. Extracting teeth might be necessary for an infection or bone loss caused by gum disease.

The bone that secures the tooth in place, the socket, can be damaged from gum disease or an infection, resulting in shrinkage of the bone socket when the tooth is extracted. The shrinkage of the socket will create consequential irregularities in the tissue. This makes restorations with implants, fixed bridges, or removable dentures challenging to achieve.

Your compassionate team at Georgetown Periodontics & Implant Dentistry is wholly committed to providing you, your family, and every patient with comprehensive periodontal care that improves your oral health and daily function. We pride ourselves on offering a safe, comfortable, and relaxing environment to ensure all patients receive the personalized care and treatment that is expected and deserved. You will find us to excel in effective communication, both in listening and sharing examination objectives. With our initiative-taking engagement in the dental industry and the constant innovative technological improvements offered, each exam and corresponding treatment is completely personalized. Call Georgetown Periodontics & Implant Dentistry at 502-570-5700 with any questions or to make an appointment for a socket preservation evaluation.

After a tooth is extracted, the jawbone in the immediate area of that tooth will begin to instantly shrink. The shrinkage is quick over the first year. As much as 60% of the original width and 40% of the original height of the bone will atrophy during this abbreviated period. A restoration with a dental implant will be impossible or especially impractical if the extraction socket is not treated. Socket preservation is a simple procedure that is performed after a tooth extraction. Georgetown Periodontics & Implant Dentistry can perform it at the time of an extraction to develop the site for a dental implant.

The Benefits of Socket Preservation

Socket preservation encourages healthy recovery following a tooth extraction. Benefits also include:

Cosmetic Benefits – If the tooth socket is not preserved following an extraction, the jawbone will atrophy, resulting in permanent aesthetic changes, such as sagging, to your facial structure.
Dental Implants – Many kinds of dental restorations need both good gum and jaw support. Socket preservation will allow for a variety of tooth replacement solutions in the future.

Research has proven that gum disease is often associated with other diseases. New research also demonstrates that inflammation may be the factor responsible for the association. Having Georgetown Periodontics & Implant Dentistry treat any inflammation not only manages the gum disease but also helps with other chronic inflammatory conditions.

Diabetes and Periodontal Disease- Having diabetes, you are likely to develop gum disease. You are also more susceptible to contracting infections. Research states that the relationship between the two goes both ways. Periodontal disease can make it difficult for you to control your blood sugar due to having diabetes. Severe gum disease increases blood sugar, leading to your body functioning with high blood sugar.
Heart Disease and Periodontal Disease- Studies have proven that gum disease is also associated with heart disease. Research indicates that gum disease increases the risk of heart disease. Scientists believe that inflammation from gum disease is primarily responsible for the association. Gum disease can exacerbate existing heart conditions. Research has also found a relationship between gum disease and stroke.
Other Systematic Diseases and Periodontal Disease- A link has also been found between jawbone loss and osteoporosis. Osteoporosis can lead to tooth loss when the jawbone density that supports the teeth is decreased, which means the teeth no longer have solid support. Bacteria that develop in your mouth can also be aspirated into your lungs to cause respiratory diseases like pneumonia, especially if you have gum disease. Men with gum disease are at a 49% greater risk of developing kidney cancer, 54% more likely to develop pancreatic cancer, and 30% likely to develop blood cancers.

The Socket Preservation Procedure

Socket prevention begins with meticulous tooth extraction to prevent any further damage to the surrounding bone, and then lining the empty socket with bone grafting material. With many socket preservations, a biocompatible barrier membrane is added to prevent the soft tissue from occupying the entire space before new bone can form. The gum tissue is then closed over the bone graft and the barrier membrane with sutures. This initiative-taking treatment allows the team at Georgetown Periodontics & Implant Dentistry to control and minimize shrinkage after an extraction.

In time, both the bone graft and the barrier membrane are resorbed by your body. They both facilitate, promote, and accelerate the ability to naturally repair itself by regenerating lost bone and tissue. It takes about four months before the regenerated bone has enough density to allow the successful placement of an implant. Sometimes, a temporary restoration can be provided when the tooth is extracted, and then the socket is preserved to maximize your comfort, aesthetics, and functionality.

Your Smile is Our Number One Priority

Our treatment philosophy at Georgetown Periodontics & Implant Dentistry is focused on patient education and the enhancement of your quality of life. We provide gentle, affordable, and painless periodontal care. We prioritize providing each patient with the information they need to make confident, informed decisions regarding their personal oral health treatment. Our experience is foundational in giving you restoratively minded periodontal treatment customized for your unique needs.

Our team specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of periodontal disease and in the placement of dental implants. We consider ourselves experts in the treatment of oral inflammation. We have received extensive education and training in these areas. We are familiar with the latest techniques for diagnosing and treating periodontal disease, and we are also trained in performing cosmetic periodontal procedures.

You can find Georgetown Periodontics & Implant Dentistry at:

107 Frazier Ct., 1D, Georgetown, KY

Or call us today at 502-570-5700