Ridge Preservation
Keeping the bone where the tooth was, so an implant still has somewhere to go.
After a tooth is removed, the bone that held it starts to shrink — in width as well as in height, and most of it in the first months. An empty socket heals, but it heals narrower.
Ridge preservation, also called socket preservation, is done at the moment of extraction: the tooth is removed atraumatically, the socket is filled with graft material and protected while it heals, so the ridge keeps more of its original shape.
It is the smaller, earlier step. Rebuilding a ridge that has already collapsed — ridge augmentation or a bone graft — is a separate and larger procedure, and preserving the socket is often what makes it unnecessary.
Who performs ridge preservation
Dr. Rafael Cortés Álvarez, Director of Makeover Dental Studio, is a pioneer of guided implant surgery in Baja: in 2006 he placed the region’s first All-on-6 case using NobelGuide 3D technology, and he has worked with Nobel Biocare for the nineteen uninterrupted years since. He graduated from the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California and holds a diploma from Loma Linda University. His work carries the imprint of two lineages: the direct mentorship of Professor Dr. Alan Kleiman, a pioneer in modern implant research, and the advanced protocols of Dr. Sascha Jovanovic’s continuing-education system, which he keeps refining alongside faculty from the world’s leading implant programs. That is what mentorship passes down, case by case — and it is the method behind the plan presented to you. Cédula profesional 5933630.
An extraction is rarely just an extraction: what happens to the socket afterwards decides whether an implant is straightforward later. It is planned with that next step already in view.
Protecting the socket the day the tooth comes out
Atraumatic removal
The tooth is taken out without levering against the socket walls, because those walls are the bone the graft — and later the implant — depend on.
Filling the socket
Graft material is placed in the empty socket at the same appointment, and the site is covered so it heals around the graft instead of collapsing.
Healing, then the implant
Once the site has healed it is imaged again, and the implant is planned on the bone that was preserved.
Do I need ridge preservation?
If the tooth will be replaced with an implant, it is usually worth it — especially for front teeth, where even a small loss of bone shows in the gum line. If the space will carry a bridge or nothing at all, the answer can be different, and you will hear which one applies to you.
Is it the same as a bone graft?
It uses graft material, but it is a preventive step done at the extraction, not a reconstruction. Ridge augmentation rebuilds bone that has already been lost; ridge preservation tries to keep it from being lost in the first place.
What it costs
Prices in USD. Graft material is quoted after imaging, according to the size of the site. Every plan is confirmed after clinical evaluation; the written estimate you receive before treatment is the one that applies.
What patients say
“Thank you so much for saving the day. I don’t remember the last time I had such a painful toothache. My wisdom teeth were definitely not helping. Thank you for taking me in last second…”
“From the moment I first reached out by email, my experience with Makeover Dental Studio has exceeded every expectation. The clinic itself is state-of-the-art, but what truly sets it apart is the incredible team behind it.”
“I went in there as a walk in and came out a happy customer. Great service and beautiful facility.”
“Very pleased and impressed with the professional service and attention given at this clinic. All of the staff is very attentive. Dr. Erika answered all my questions and concerns, she explained in detail the whole process of my braces…”
Quoted exactly as written. All 479 reviews on Google →
Frequently asked
What patients ask before they book. If yours is not here, the fastest answer is a call.
- Your case planned in 3D before treatment begins
- A treatment plan written in English
- A direct line to the clinic once you are home
The extraction and the graft are done in the same appointment, so there is no extra visit for the graft itself. The site is tender for a few days, as after any extraction.
Extraction with socket preservation is normally a single appointment. Healing happens at home, and the implant is planned for a later trip once the site is ready.
For front teeth a temporary is usually arranged so you are not walking around with a space while the site heals.
Explore other treatments
The bone you keep today is the bone your implant uses later.
If an extraction is already planned, this is the moment to decide about the socket — once the bone has shrunk, the options get bigger. Send us your imaging and we will tell you whether preservation makes sense in your case.
Mon-Fri 9:00am – 6:00pm
Sat 9:00am – 4:00pm
Request your consultation
If you have an extraction coming up, bring or send recent imaging. Whether to preserve the socket is decided before the tooth comes out, not after.
US: +1 (619) 202-0423
MX: +52 (664) 634-2023
makeoverdentalstudio@outlook.com
Frida Kahlo 10410, Torre Quatro, 1st floor, office 106
Zona Urbana Rio, Tijuana, B.C. 22010
Mon-Fri 9:00am – 6:00pm | Sat 9:00am – 4:00pm
