Socket Shield Technique

Tooth extraction in the anterior maxilla often results in significant alveolar bone loss particularly on the thin buccal plate. Traditional methods such as immediate implant placement ridge preservation grafting and soft tissue augmentation reduce but do not fully prevent resorption. The socket shield technique (SST) introduced by Hürzeler et al. in 2010 represents a biologically driven innovation within the broader framework of partial extraction therapies (PET). By deliberately retaining the buccal root fragment during immediate implant placement the periodontal ligament and bundle bone are preserved thus maintaining ridge contour and overlying soft tissue esthetics.