Hi Kitt,

Yes, it is very true. Every healed extraction has at least 50% bone loss in the space where the tooth was. Over time, the bone becomes progressively less until the bone level is flat.

If bone graft material is placed in the surgical socket at the time of the extraction and the material integrates well with the jaw bone, then the bone loss is minimal and natural degeneration of the bone may or may not occur as we age.

The bone surrounding a tooth is called alveolar ridge bone and it's sole purpose is to support the tooth. As soon as the tooth is removed, this bone begins to degenerate and collapse both horizontally and vertically. It is not impossible to place an implant once this has happened but it requires a special bone graft procedure to ultimately hold the implant in place.

There are actually two types of bone grafting that can be done in old extraction sites that were not filled in with graft material and have lost horizontal width and vertical height of the bone. One procedure is called Block Bone Grafting. This is when bone is harvested from another area of the mouth or body and screwed into the area of the mouth where the implants are going to be placed. It takes about 6 months for this to heal before the implants can be put in. Another type of bone grafting surgery is called Bone Expansion. This is when a series of different size drills are used to make a large hole in the bone where the implant is going to go and it is filled with bone graft material and then usually sutured closed an allowed to integrate with the jaw bone for about 6 months before the implant is placed.

Hope I was able to answer your questions........and thanks for the kind words!

Bryanna