Georgia Periodontics, P.C.

Ridge Augmentation

When teeth are extracted, the bone often resorbs during healing and leaves an indentation in the gum. When a bridge is placed, this concavity prevents the artificial tooth from looking real - it looks like it is just lying on the gum. By repairing the ridge defect with a ridge augmentation, the artificial tooth now looks like it is growing out of the gum, and cannot be distinguished from the natural teeth.

Severe ridge defect
after extraction

Ridge augmented to
return normal shape

Deficient ridge making
artificial tooth
look unnatural

Ridge augmented and
expanded so artificial
tooth appears to
emerge from gum

The best way to treat a ridge deficiency is to prevent it from occurring. The amount of bone loss from an extraction can be minimized by performing a ridge augmentation at the time of extraction (See Treating Extraction Sites).

Treating Extraction Sites

After a tooth extraction, the gum heals down in the socket before the bone has time to completely reform, leaving a resorbed ridge. To prevent bone resorption after extraction, we suggest the socket be filled with a material (bone graft) that reduces gum shrinkage or the socket be isolated with a membrane that prevents gum downgrowth (See Guided Tissue Regeneration). Treating the problem before it occurs is ideal.

At 6 months, bone
healed without shrinkage