Medically Reviewed by Sam Muslin, DDS, MAGD | Last Updated on 04/25/2024

When teeth are extracted there is a hole in the jawbone. Sometimes during the extraction, excess jawbone is lost in order to get the tooth out. This can make the hole in the jaw even bigger. The dentist may use too much force and break off some of the jawbone that is really needed for the future. Preserving jawbone during an extraction is vital for the patient because the more jawbone that is saved provides more restorative choices for the patient.

Bone Grafts After Dental Extractions

Bone grafts after dental extractions allowed this patient to have a dental bridge that did not have food traps. This patient has had the few extracted teeth completely replaced with high tech dental bridges, dental crowns and full mouth reconstruction.

As an example, if there is enough jawbone after an extraction, missing teeth can be treated immediately with a dental implant and sometimes a temporary crown can be placed the same day. The problem is when a dentist uses too much force or uses a surgical extraction technique that sacrifices too much bone. Without enough jawbone remaining, the patient cannot have a dental implant. The skill of the dentist is paramount during dental extractions.

The reason for preserving the jawbone after extractions is to help dentures have better retention. Denture patients will chew better and more effectively. Patients wearing partial dentures will be able to have a more stable and secure partial denture that will also chew more effectively.

Patients that want dental bridges will have a more natural looking dental bridge if the ridge on the jawbone is more level. In just about every situation, the skill of the dentist during the extraction is vital to the patient’s health and future choices. Getting bone grafts after extractions helps the patient have higher quality dentistry and more successful dentistry because there is more bone for future restorations.

Dental Implants

One of the miracles of implant dentistry is when the tooth is extracted and the dental implant and replacement tooth are performed on the same day. The most important factor is the amount of jawbone remaining for the dental implant. If there is not enough jawbone, then a bone graft would be indicated in order to keep as much jawbone as possible. When a tooth is extracted, bone fills in at the bottom of the socket but melts away at the top of the socket. When a tooth is removed and the patient gets a bone graft, the entire socket fills with bone and the height of the bone is greater with a bone graft.

Anti Aging Dental Care

This patient did not always have bad dentistry, but reached a point of dental despair after many years of neglect and "patchy" dentistry. His case is not uncommon; many patients have let their smiles become unhealthy and unappealing because the deterioration process occurs gradually and they get used to it over time. The teeth slowly shift into worse positions and the bite gets worse and worse. Usually decades go by before they decide to take action. Cosmetic Dentistry is not enough in these cases because overall health is compromised. Bad dentistry contributes to premature aging and infection through out the entire body. Premature aging is partly a result of dental infections wearing down the body and the partial collapse of the face.

Anti-Aging Medicine

Dr. Sam Muslin’s unique Face Lift Dentistry^® has powerful anti aging medical benefits. High tech dentistry is one of the best anti aging medical treatments because it removes infection but it also reverses years of aging. Patients will age prematurely in the neck and face areas because they have lost the height to their bite and lost the best jaw position for their faces. The three-dimensional jaw position is critical to looking younger and the treatment is non-surgical.

Premature Aging Prevention

Teeth support faces and the bite determines the shape of the face and the shape of the facial profile. Most people do not understand that dentistry is the key to preventing premature aging because dentistry supplies the hard tooth structure that supports the lips and cheeks. Bite Reconstruction dentistry determines the length of the patients face and the shape of the face. Many patients do no understand that small looking chins are a result of deep overbites. Dr. Sam Muslin’s Face Lift Dentistry^® treatment will improve the position of the chin with his non-invasive, non-surgical overbite correction methods. Faces look younger for the rest of the patient’s life because the teeth will be there to support the face.

High Tech Dentistry and Gum Disease

The first course of treatment for him was to extract the hopeless teeth, graft his jawbone with Bio Oss (an osteoconductive bone substitute), and treat the gum disease. Bone grafting preserves the size of the jawbone after an extraction. Without bone grafting, the jawbone shrinks down too much as the socket collapses. Temporary fixed dental bridges were placed the same day of the tooth extractions so the patient never went without teeth. He pointed out that his "temporary dental bridges looked better than his natural teeth!"

Bone Grafts and Temporary Bridges During Healing

Teeth extractions, bone preservation, bone grafts and temporary dental bridges kept this patient looking great all of the time. He never went without teeth.

Full Mouth Reconstruction and TMJ

After the patient healed from the extractions, he decided to go through with the complete mouth reconstruction combined with the Dental Face Lift^®. Full mouth and bite reconstruction completely restored his facial balance and TMJ comfort. His speech has improved as he can pronounce his words more clearly due to the alignment of his teeth and jaws. He did not need dental implants since all of the missing teeth were replaced with fixed porcelain dental bridges. His porcelain bridges look great and he feels safe in knowing that some of Dr. Muslin's patients have had their porcelain dental bridges last over 25 years without a problem.

Dental Bridges vs Dental Implants

Fixed porcelain dental bridges stay in place and replace missing teeth, much like dental implants. A dental bridge, however, allows for a more natural appearance at the gum line since gums can shrink away from dental implants and leave a hole in between the teeth. Dental bridges were the best choice for him because they are completed quicker than implants, he avoided dental implant surgery and the final esthetic results are superior to dental implants in this case.