The healing extraction site: a donor area for periodontal grafting material.

In cases of advanced periodontal disease, it is likely that vertical osseous defects will be present and that selected teeth will require extraction. The healing extraction site provides a source of vital osseous grafting material for the treatment of these infrabony defects. The preparation and grafting of the recipient site, as well as the management of the donor area, are described in detail. Three cases are presented which illustrate the efficacy of this type of therapy.