An Assessment of Bone Augmentation in Post-Extraction Sockets

When a tooth is extracted the ridge of bone that held the tooth in place begins to heal and over time new bone grows to fill the empty space left by the missing tooth. Sometimes this process works very well and new bone grows to completely fill the socket, at other times new bone fails to fill in the space completely and patients are left with uneven bone-fill. Grafted extraction sockets may fill with bone faster and more evenly than those without grafts, allowing the dentist to have greater control over the healing process and to repair the area with dental implants in a shorter period of time. This study will help determine if grafting an extraction socket, with or without enriching the graft material, is an added benefit when compared to allowing the socket to heal naturally. The study will also assess how well two different dental implant designs used to restore the area will function over time.