Residual root preparation 
for socket-shield procedures: 
a facial window approach.

Area of Science:

• Dental implantology
• Periodontology
• Oral surgery

Background:

• Immediate implant placement and provisionalization in the anterior maxilla are prone to facial soft tissue and contour complications.
• Various techniques aim to preserve facial osseous and gingival architecture.

Observation:

• The socket-shield technique (SST) shows promise for stabilizing facial bone and gum levels.
• A key challenge in SST is the preparation of the facial root fragment.

Findings:

• This article details a novel surgical approach to simplify the preparation of the facial root fragment in SST.
• The described method aims to enhance the feasibility and predictability of the socket-shield technique.

Implications:

• This surgical modification may improve outcomes for immediate implant procedures in the esthetic zone.
• Facilitating SST preparation could lead to wider adoption and better long-term esthetic results.
• Further clinical studies are warranted to validate the efficacy of this approach.