About half the alveolar bone’s dimensions can be reduced or lost after a dental extraction. In fact, about two-thirds of bone loss may occur within three months after a tooth has been removed. A height loss may also occur along the vertical ridge due to atrophy. When this happens, it can compromise the placement of implants because of a thinner volume of bone. Because of these outcomes, it helps to perform a tooth socket graft after a tooth extraction, as doing so prevents soft and hard tissue loss. When sockets are preserved in this manner, less bone volume is lost. A tooth socket graft is typically recommended when grafting extraction sites to increase the soft and hard gum tissue for pontic locations, such as a fixed bridge.
It also helps to graft the tooth socket to rebuild defects around the surrounding teeth that result from periodontal disease. Grafting of sockets also corrects bone defects that impinge on dental structures. If you wish to preserve the structure of the gum tissue after extraction, a tooth socket graft is imperative if you plan to add implants. A grafting material is used to regenerate the bone.