Tooth Removal and Site Preservation
before
after
In some cases, when a tooth is broken, severely infected, or decayed to the point where it cannot be restored, Dr. Holtzclaw or your general dentist may recommend that the tooth be removed. When a tooth is removed (extracted), the bone which surrounded that tooth no longer has a job to perform and it begins to dissolve away. In fact, during the first year following removal of a tooth, up to 50% of the bone which used to hold the bone in place can go away. This may result in unsightly defects and complicate future replacement of the tooth with a dental implant.
To prevent these issues, Dr. Holtzclaw performs what is known as “ridge preservation” procedure. Dr. Holtzclaw gently removes your tooth with state-of-the-art instruments to preserve as much bone as possible and then adds bone graft and growth factors to the hole from which the tooth was removed. This process encourages your body’s natural capacity to regenerate bone and can reduce loss of bone width by 125% and loss of bone height by 244%. Because Dr. Holtzclaw removes teeth in this gentle manner and meticulously preserves your existing bone, pain from the procedure is reduced and healing time is improved.
Dr. Holtzclaw is one of the world’s leading experts in this technique. He has published multiple articles in peer reviewed dental journals on tooth removal with bone graft site preservation and he has lectured both nationally and internationally on the subject in locations including Texas, Florida, Washington DC, Hawaii, Illinois, Virginia, California, Massachusetts, and Italy.
If you need a tooth removed and would like to establish a healthy foundation for future dental implants or a bridge, please contact Dr. Holtzclaw and his team at 512-453-1600 to schedule an evaluation.
Lone Star Periodontics & Dental Implants. Dan Holtzclaw, DDS, MS. Board certified periodontist and dental implant surgeon. 711 W. 38th Street, Suite G5. Austin, TX 78705. 512-453-1600