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If you recently had a ridge augmentation to rebuild lost bone, you might not expect to need another procedure so soon. But what if a nearby tooth needs to be extracted? Can removing it affect the healing graft?
The short answer is yes, a tooth next to a ridge augmentation can be extracted, but timing and technique matter. Your oral surgeon will consider factors like bone stability, healing progress, and future implant plans to determine the safest approach.
In this blog, we will discuss what happens if a tooth near a ridge augmentation needs to be removed, the risks involved, and how careful planning can protect your results.
Table of Contents
- Understanding Ridge Augmentation and Tooth Extraction
- Can a Tooth Next to Ridge Augmentation Be Extracted?
- Schedule a Consultation with an Oral Surgeon in Deer Park, IL
Key Takeaway
If you need a tooth extracted near a recent ridge augmentation, timing is everything.
If the bone graft has fully healed, extraction is usually safe, but if the area is still stabilizing, removing a tooth too soon could compromise bone integrity. A consultation with an oral surgeon is the best way to determine the right timing and ensure your long-term oral health.
Understanding Ridge Augmentation and Tooth Extraction
Ridge augmentation is a dental procedure performed to restore alveolar ridge bone lost due to tooth extraction, gum disease, or trauma.
This process helps rebuild bone structure, maintaining the natural contour of the jawbone for aesthetic purposes and implant placement. A ridge augmentation bone graft is used to promote bone regeneration, improving the quality of bone for future dental implants.
Tooth extraction involves removing a damaged, broken tooth, or decayed tooth from the jawbone.
In most cases, it is straightforward but when ridge augmentation is involved, extra precautions must be taken to prevent compromising the newly regenerated alveolar bone.
Can a Tooth Next to Ridge Augmentation Be Extracted?
Yes, but timing and healing are vital.
If the ridge augmentation is still healing or the bone graft material has not fully integrated, extracting a nearby tooth could impact the structural integrity of the treated area.
Your oral surgeon will evaluate key factors before proceeding:
- Healing stage: If the ridge augmentation procedure was recent, your alveolar ridge may still be stabilizing. Removing another tooth too soon could interfere with bone growth and increase the risk of bone loss.
- Bone density and dimension: If the bone graft has successfully integrated and restored the previous height of the bone, an extraction may not cause complications.
- Gum tissue and soft tissue health: Healthy gum tissue supports both the alveolar ridge and neighboring teeth, so any inflammation or infection must be addressed before extraction.
- Future implant placement: If you are considering a dental implant in the area, your oral surgeon will assess whether extracting a nearby tooth will affect the implant site and bone regeneration.
- Loss of jaw bone risk: If the ridge augmentation involved a significant amount of bone grafting, premature extraction could result in loss of bone structure or deformities from tooth removal.
If your oral surgeon determines that extracting a tooth too soon could weaken the ridge augmentation, they may recommend waiting.
In some cases, additional bone grafting may be needed after the extraction to preserve bone structure, ensuring proper support for a temporary replacement tooth or future dental implants.
Schedule a Consultation with an Oral Surgeon in Deer Park, IL
If you are in this situation, the best step is to schedule an initial appointment with our experienced oral surgeons at Oral Facial & Implant Specialists.
Every case is unique, and a personalized evaluation will determine whether an extraction can be performed immediately or if waiting is necessary to protect your long-term oral health.
To book an appointment at our oral surgeons office in Deer Park, IL, call (847) 381-0106 or visit us at 21660 W. Field Parkway, Suite 220, Deer Park, IL.
