Socket Preservation

Socket preservation is a procedure performed immediately after a tooth extraction to prevent the bone loss that naturally occurs once a tooth is removed. When a tooth is taken out, the surrounding bone begins to resorb within weeks, and the socket collapses as it heals. By placing grafting material into the extraction site at the time of removal, socket preservation maintains the bone volume and ridge contour, keeping the site viable for a future dental implant or other restoration.

At Bensonhurst Dental Care, socket preservation is performed by Dr. Geoffrey Rubinshtein as part of a proactive approach to implant planning. Rather than waiting for bone loss to occur and then addressing it with more extensive bone grafting or ridge augmentation procedures, socket preservation protects the bone from the start. The procedure is straightforward: after the tooth is extracted, the socket is cleaned, filled with biocompatible grafting material, and often covered with a membrane to protect the graft during healing.

Socket preservation is especially important for patients who plan to receive an implant but need time before the implant can be placed, whether for financial, medical, or treatment-sequencing reasons. It is also recommended for extraction sites in the aesthetic zone, where maintaining bone and gum contour is critical for a natural-looking final result. Patients who skip socket preservation and return months or years later for an implant often face the need for additional grafting procedures that could have been avoided.