Treatment of moderate localized alveolar ridge defects. Preventive and reconstructive concepts in therapy.

A conscious effort should be made at the time of tooth extraction to eliminate or lessen the creation of a defect within the residual alveolar ridge. This objective can be achieved if teeth are extracted in an atraumatic manner and appropriate implant materials are placed into the sockets to prevent the eventual collapse of the ridge. Guided tissue regeneration procedures also may be used to prevent collapse within the ridge or augment an existing defect. In many instances, deformed ridges can be augmented to their former dimensions by the use of pouch, interpositional, or onlay graft procedures. Case reports are presented to show the effectiveness of these procedures.