Ridge Preservation Specialist

Kian Farzaneh, DDS

Oral Surgeons & Dental Implant Specialists located in Danville, CA

When you lose a tooth or have one extracted, the empty gum socket can quickly cause dental health problems. A ridge preservation procedure helps to strengthen and protect this vulnerable area before getting an implant, dentures, or a bridge. To see if a ridge preservation procedure is right for you, visit Dr. Kian Farzaneh DDS. Serving patients in Danville, California, Dr. Farzaneh and his team offer ridge preservation and other oral surgery procedures to help you achieve a winning smile. Call or book an appointment online for a personalized consultation.

Ridge Preservation Q & A

What is ridge preservation?

If you have lost a tooth or had one removed, ridge preservation helps to protect the bone and gum structure in the space of the missing tooth. The procedure involves placing bone grafting material into the empty tooth socket to help rebuild the underlying bone and provide support for future dental work.

 

Why is ridge preservation needed?

To preserve the jawbone and have the adequate structure needed for implants, bridges, or dentures, ridge preservation is sometimes needed.  A ridge preservation is also helpful because it can prevent the need for significant bone grafting in the future.

A ridge preservation can even help you avoid a tooth extraction.

Tooth loss leaves the underlying jawbone and tooth socket vulnerable to problems. When there’s a space, bone can degenerate, shrinking rapidly and then progressively the longer the empty socket remains.

 

What is a ridge preservation procedure like?

The process begins with 3-D X-rays, which allow Dr. Farzaneh and his team to see comprehensive pictures of your dental health and prepare the best course of action for treatment.

Dr. Farzaneh extracts your tooth, taking care to preserve as much bone as possible. After extraction, he fills the socket with bone grafting material. The bone graft material might come from your own body, a human donor, an animal, or synthetic material.

After placing the bone graft material, he places a barrier material over it and secures this to the surrounding tissue with sutures.

 

What can I expect after ridge preservation?

While bone grafting for ridge preservation helps to preserve the tooth socket, sometimes the graft can get reabsorbed into the gums. Therefore, you’ll probably come back to the office in 4-12 months for a dental implant, which can prevent reabsorption and help to keep the jawbone strong.

In some cases, Dr. Farzaneh can place a dental implant immediately after extraction.

During the first few days after your procedure, you may have slight discomfort and pressure in the treatment area. You should refrain from smoking, drinking alcohol, or applying pressure to the grafted area with your tongue or fingers.

Dr. Farzaneh and his team monitor your progress with follow-up appointments and help you take the next steps when it comes to your dental work.

To request a consultation about ridge preservation today, call or book an appointment using the easy online scheduler.