Open collagen membrane technique in socket preservation

Both hard and soft tissue undergo change after tooth extraction. In particular, the bone tissue surrounding teeth with fenestration or dehiscence defects undergoes dramatic change following tooth extraction, which can compromise further rehabilitation of the area. Adequate alveolar bone volume and keratinized mucosa are critical to the success of implant therapy. Therefore, the anatomic dimension of the alveolar ridge must be adequate to achieve an esthetically acceptable outcome of implant therapy. Previous studies have proposed many clinical techniques for preserving the extraction socket. This article presents a procedure in which an open collagen membrane technique was adopted to maintain an adequate volume of hard tissue and a sufficient width of the keratinized mucosa for further esthetic and functional implantation. Through this simple technique, an adequate volume and architecture around the implant can be achieved, with a long-term prognosis for implant therapy expected.