socket preservation
A procedure performed at the time of tooth extraction in which graft material is placed into the socket to minimize alveolar bone resorption and maintain ridge dimensions for future implant placement.
Full Definition
Socket preservation (also called alveolar ridge preservation or ARP) involves filling a fresh extraction socket with bone graft material — autograft, allograft, xenograft, or alloplast — often covered by a resorbable membrane, to limit the natural volumetric bone loss that occurs after extraction. The goal is to maintain sufficient bone height and width to facilitate implant placement without the need for additional augmentation procedures. Editors should note 'socket preservation' as the preferred clinical term in implant literature, whereas 'ridge preservation' is an acceptable synonym. Both are written as unhyphenated noun phrases.
Usage
Usage note: 'Socket preservation' and 'ridge preservation' are interchangeable; standardize to one term per document. Distinguish from 'ridge augmentation', which addresses bone deficiency that already exists rather than preventing future loss.
In Context
- "Socket preservation with a collagen-covered xenograft was performed immediately after the maxillary first molar extraction to prepare the site for implant placement at three months." — Case documentation
- "The introduction conflated 'socket preservation' with 'ridge augmentation'; the editor added a clarifying footnote explaining that the former is performed at extraction while the latter addresses pre-existing deficiency." — Manuscript review note