Ridge Augmentation

What is a ridge augmentation?

A ridge augmentation is a common dental procedure often performed following a tooth extraction.  This procedure helps recreate the natural contour of the gums and jaw that may have been lost due to bone loss from a tooth extraction, injury or trauma.

The alveolar ridge of the jaw is the bone that surrounds the roots of teeth.  When a tooth is removed, an empty socket is left in the alveolar ridge bone.   This empty socket will typically heal on its own, filling in with bone and tissue.  When a tooth is removed, sometimes the bone surrounding the socket breaks down and is unable to heal on its own.  The previous height and width of the socket will continue to deteriorate.

Rebuilding the original height and width of the alveolar ridge is not always medically necessary, but may be required for dental implant placement or for aesthetic purposes. Dental implants require bone to support their structure and a ridge augmentation can help rebuild this bone to accommodate the implant.