Medical Uses and Benefits of Socket Preservation:
- Socket preservation reduces bone loss after tooth extraction.
- Jaw bone naturally becomes narrow and loses shape after extraction, resulting in significant bone volume loss.
- Bone loss can affect the placement of dental implants and compromise aesthetics and function.
- Socket preservation prevents bone loss by grafting the socket immediately after extraction.
- Good jaw bone support is essential for successful long-term dental prostheses.
- Without socket preservation, residual bones could lose volume, affecting facial dimensions and soft tissue aesthetics.
- Socket preservation improves height and width compared to extraction without preservation.
- Insufficient data exists to conclude its impact on implant failures, aesthetics, or the superiority of one grafting material over another.

Risks and Complications of Socket Preservation:
- Caution is required in areas previously exposed to radiation treatment or osteomyelitis.
- Other considerations include concurrent use of certain medications, smoking, diabetes, immunocompromise, and infection.
- Socket preservation has been associated with a greater risk of marginal bone loss.
- No absolute contraindications to socket preservation exist, but caution is necessary.
- Risk of bone and soft tissue loss on subsequent implants in the long-term.

Technique of Socket Preservation:
- Socket preservation is performed at the time of extraction.
- The socket is thoroughly cleansed after tooth removal, and antibiotic powder may be used.
- A barrier membrane is attached to the gum, and the socket is filled with bone grafting material.
- The wound is closed over the barrier membrane.
- The barrier membrane is removed approximately 30 days after placement, and the graft becomes incorporated into the healing bone.

Types of Materials Used in Socket Preservation:
- Autograft (patient's own bone) is considered the gold standard for bone grafting.
- Other types of grafting materials include xenograft, allograft, and alloplast.
- Barrier membranes can be resorbable or non-resorbable.
- Non-resorbable membranes include expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE).
- Resorbable membranes include collagen and synthetic resorbable materials.

Conclusion and Overall Considerations:
- Socket preservation is an important procedure to prevent bone loss after tooth extraction and maintain jaw bone support.
- Risks and complications should be carefully considered, especially in patients with certain medical conditions or risk factors.
- The technique involves thorough cleansing of the socket, placement of a bone graft and barrier membrane, and subsequent healing and incorporation of the graft.
- Various types of materials can be used for grafting and barrier membranes.
- While socket preservation has demonstrated benefits, more research is needed to fully understand its impact on implant outcomes and aesthetics, as well as the optimal choice of grafting material.