Alveolar Ridge Preservation Versus Spontaneous Healing

Extraction of the teeth in the posterior region of the mandible may be an indication for the placement of dental implants. However, after extraction of the teeth, the alveolar ridge undergoes changes due to resorption. Resorption is most pronounced on the buccal side and might complicate implant placement as is could lead to proximity issues with the inferior alveolaris nerve of the mandible. Alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) is commonly performed technique aimed at preserving available bone after tooth extraction. It facilitates delayed implant placement, reducing morbidity and providing optimal esthetic outcomes for implant placement. This procedure is performed using autogenous bone grafts, bone substitutes such as xenografts or allografts or a mixture of both. Also, membranes can be used to direct the growth of new bone. A thin buccal bone wall is an indicator for bone loss that may compromise the integrity of the buccal bone and lead to biologic and esthetic complications. When the buccal bone wall has a width of \< 1.5mm, it is considered an indication for ARP. ARP is found to be effective in reducing bone loss and facilitating implant placement after extraction in the anterior region and for multi-rooted sides. However, most available evidence including RCTs, involves patients with at least 50% of buccal bone intact. Consequently, it is uncertain whether the efficacy ARP is also applicable in situations involving damaged sockets (buccal bone loss \>50%).