Socket Shield Technique for Ridge Preservation : A Case Report

Abstract

e socket shie ld technique has de mon strated the pot ent ial in preventing buccal tissue from resorption in animal and clinical studies. It is assumed that retaining a root fragment aached to the buccal bone plate in this technique can avoid tissue alteration after tooth extraction. This article presents a 58-year-old healthy man with a failing upper right second premolar which would be replaced by an implant-supported single crown. Leaving a partial r oot fragment at buccal side in combination with immediate implant placement lingual to the retained fragment was performed. Four months aer implant placement, clinical examination showed healthy peri-implant sotissue and the ridge was well preserved. A denit ive metal ceramic crown was fabricated and cemented on a titanium abutment. The prosthesis successfully restored the function of the patie nt. A maximum amount of horizontal resorption at the buccal side was 0.72mm. Applying socket shield technique and immediate implant placement may be a feasible treatment option in case with high esthetic concern.