Extractions and Alveolar Ridge Preservation: So Easy an Endodontist Can Do It
Abstract
Teeth referred for endodontic care, which are discovered to be non-restorable (e.g. vertical root fractures or crown to root fractures), typically prompt endodontists to refer to another dentist for the extraction. In both the military and civilian setting, this requires additional appointment time, referrals, increased transit time and missed work for the patient, and a non-productive appointment for the endodontist. From a military prospective, the patient remains a no-go for dental readiness until the tooth is extracted (which can take days to weeks pending availability). Many times, the offending tooth is extracted at a troop clinic or referred via Active-Duty Dental Program (ADDP) and the tooth is removed without alveolar ridge preservation (ARP). ARP is an essential adjunct for potential implant and pontic sites to attenuate the dimensional reduction of the alveolar ridge that normally takes place after tooth extraction (Avila-Ortiz). Army endodontists are in a unique position to spearhead a simple change that will inevitably improve readiness, access to care, and productivity. This subtle change in military endodontics could certainly reverberate to our civilian colleagues.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2022
- Accession Number
- AD1186369
Entities
People
- J. Phillips
- K. Lindsey
- Matthew E. Ticich
- Steven P. Delgado
- T. Beltran
Organizations
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
- Womack Army Medical Center