A Minimally Invasive Extraction and Socket Preservation procedure is designed to prevent or minimize collapse of the gum where the tooth was. There is always some ridge collapse to we want to minimize it as much as possible. An extraction is performed in a minimally invasive manner which involves carefully severing the attachment of your teeth to the bone and gums using thin blades to minimize trauma. The teeth or roots are then slowly loosened being careful not to traumatize the surrounding bone and gums.  We want to preserve as much or your bone as possible. Our objective is to minimize trauma, not to get the tooth out faster, so we take our time removing your tooth. We take special care to minimize post-operative discomfort and improve healing.  We enhance your healing potential by using growth factors, either genetically engineered concentrated from your blood, which decreases healing times and enhances bone growth. Think of it as putting fertilizer in your tooth socket to encourage growth. We will place an augmentation material under your gums to help the bone "grow" into the space. Placing a little bone chip in your jaw is like putting a grain of sand in an oyster to make a pearl. . . except we put lots of bone chips in your tooth socket. Your body will deposit bone on the little chips slowly enlarging them until they grow together into bone. We may use Freeze Dried Human Bone, Bovine bone, synthetic bone obtained from a commercial "bone bank" or bone harvested from other portions of you mouth for graft material. The bone is placed into the tooth socket and defects in your jaw.  A barrier (like a tarp) is placed over the tooth socket to protect the extraction site and the bone graft material in it. We will allow the area to heal for several months. When I feel the area has matured (about 4-6 mos.) we will have you back to evaluate the success of the "build-up." A secondary or additional bone graft may be necessary if your ridge is not enlarged enough to place an implant. The majority of our patient report either no or minimal discomfort after these minimally invasive socket preservation procedures and can go to work the next day. Patients are all different and have different healing potentials. Unfortunately, we cannot predict that beforehand.