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Molar extraction - bone graft or not

R

Rabbit

Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2021
Messages
21
Location
Eugene OR
Some dentists say it is not necessary to implant a second molar after extraction and others say it is best to do so . I would need a bone graft if I want an implant or think I might. Is the healing any harder for a bone graft vs no graft with extraction?
 
I think the healing is actually easier with a bone graft, because you don’t have the hole to worry about.

I had my upper 2nd molar extracted and the oral surgeon said he wouldn’t recommend replacing it. He said I wouldn’t miss it and I haven’t, even though I am short 4 premolars as well (out for orthodontics when I was a teen).

I did have my lower 2nd molar replaced with an implant on the other side.
 
What your dentist did follows with what I read that if the lower second molar is missing and and the upper corresponding second molar isn’t that molar will supererupt to meet a solid surface in occlusion and that upper molar will need to be extracted as a result. But if the upper molar is gone it is not a problem for the lower one. So apparantly your dentist followed that. I was never told of that issue when a couple dentists suggested I might not miss the lower molar if not implanted. I am not sure now what to do…..
 
@Rabbit, yes that is exactly what my surgeon said. He said the upper molars have a higher chance of super erupting. So upper molars are not recommended to be replaced, while lower ones are more tricky. He did say that it also depended on whether the upper second molar touched the lower first molar when biting. Sometimes they have a bit of overlap and you can get away with not replacing the lower since there is some resistance.
 
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