Alveolar wound healing and ridge remodeling after tooth extraction in the rat: a histologic, radiographic, and...

Healing of extraction wounds in rats was analyzed by histologic, radiographic and histometric methods at 0, 7, 14, 30, 60 days after tooth removal. Total alveolar volume, volume density of bone, percentage of bone formation, bone resorption areas, and height of both vestibular and lingual crests were analyzed. Total alveolar bone volume and bone density in the apical third increased from 0 to 60 days. Maximum bone formation was observed at 14 days, whereas the greatest bone resorption was observed seven days after extraction. The height of the lingual crest was lowest 14 days postextraction and then increased progressively to day 60.