Extraction now, implant later: plan the bone Having a tooth extracted and an implant later: how should you plan for the bone?

If you are about to have a tooth extracted and are planning a dental implant in the future, one thing worth discussing with your dentist from the outset is the care of the bone where the tooth will be removed. Preparing this area is part of treatment planning, not simply a matter of waiting for the wound to heal before considering the next step.

What is ridge preservation after an extraction?

Alveolar Ridge Preservation, or ARP, is the care of the tooth socket after an extraction, with the aim of reducing changes to the bone ridge. This relates to preparing the area for a replacement tooth in the future. The dentist assesses which approach suits the area, according to each person's oral condition and treatment plan.

Why PRF and bone grafts are discussed

PRF, or Platelet Rich Fibrin, is a material prepared from the patient's own blood, while a bone graft is a bone substitute material. Both approaches have been studied for the care of the socket after an extraction, but the choice depends on which outcome is wanted and on whether the method suits the area to be treated.

What the research says about preserving bone volume

The systematic review and meta-analysis by Mahardawi et al., published in the International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in 2026, pooled 9 studies. The combined results showed that the groups treated with PRF lost more ridge height and width than the groups treated with bone graft material, a statistically significant difference [1].

This result helps inform the choice of material when the goal is to preserve the dimensions of the ridge, but it does not mean that everyone who has a tooth extracted needs a bone graft, or that a treatment can be decided straight away from general information.

What to ask before an extraction

Tell your dentist what kind of replacement tooth you would like and when you intend to start treatment. Then ask how the socket should be cared for after the extraction, what the options are, what each option involves in cost and treatment time, and when you will need to come back for follow-up.

If the tooth has already been extracted, you can still come in for an examination to plan the next step. Tell the dentist which tooth was removed and when, so that they can assess any further information needed.

From research to a conversation about your treatment plan

Prof. Dr. Atiphan Pimkhaokham is one of the researchers behind this study. For patients, the benefit of reading the research is having the information to ask questions and to consider the treatment plan together with the dentist, while an actual examination and an individual assessment remain necessary.

If you are planning an extraction and a dental implant, you can contact Dentopia to book an assessment and discuss your treatment plan through our contact page.

More about Prof. Atiphan: Prof. Dr. Atiphan Pimkhaokham | Dental implant treatment: Implants