Several techniques and materials have been suggested for alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) after dental extraction and before implant placement. This literature review aimed to discuss the histological and clinical aspects of alveolar healing and the ARP procedure after dental extraction and to verify whether it allows dental implant placement (with or without further augmentation). Despite the heterogeneity of the studies, some evidence suggests that ridge preservation procedures are efficient in limiting the postextraction dimensional loss of the ridge and are accompanied by a different degree of bone regeneration, with varied amounts of residual graft material particles.
Tooth extraction; alveolar ridge preservation; guided bone regeneration; dental implants