Rationale for Implant Site Preservation With Absorbable Bone Scaffolds

Minimizing alveolar ridge atrophy after tooth removal is crucial for the preservation of the alveolar ridge dimensions for future implant placement and subsequent prosthetic rehabilitation. Methods such as bone grafting have been used extensively but generally focus mainly on maintenance of bone volume and less so on bone quality. To achieve enhanced bone quality, it is important that residual bone graft material particles get replaced by new vital bone. This article describes the rationale for and a technique demonstrating implant site preservation with absorbable bone scaffolding to not only maintain alveolar bone anatomy but also improve bone quality for the long-term stability and success of implant therapy.