Surgical protocols for ridge preservation after tooth extraction. A systematic review

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Oral Surgery
• Periodontology

Background:

• Alveolar ridge preservation is crucial after tooth extraction to maintain bone volume for subsequent dental implant placement.
• Tooth extraction often leads to significant bone resorption, compromising implant treatment outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the evidence on surgical protocols for alveolar ridge preservation post-extraction.
• To assess the impact of these techniques on dental implant placement and restoration success.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was performed in MEDLINE-PubMed, Embase, and CENTRAL up to February 2011.
• Included randomized clinical trials and prospective cohort studies with at least 3-month follow-up, measuring hard and soft tissue changes.
• Meta-analyses and meta-regression analyses were conducted to evaluate outcomes and subgroup differences.

Main Results:

• Socket preservation therapies significantly reduced bone loss in both height (WMD = -1.47 mm) and width (WMD = -1.830 mm) compared to controls.
• Flapped surgical approaches demonstrated a statistically significant positive effect on bone width preservation.
• No clear guidelines emerged regarding specific biomaterials or surgical procedures, except for the benefit of flapped surgery.

Conclusions:

• Socket preservation techniques effectively minimize vertical and horizontal alveolar bone contraction following tooth extraction.
• While flapped surgery shows a positive impact, current evidence lacks definitive guidance on optimal biomaterials or procedures.
• Long-term data on the impact of these preservation benefits on implant therapy outcomes are currently unavailable.