The socket-shield technique at molar sites: A proof-of-principle technique report.

The socket-shield technique for avoiding postextraction tissue alteration was first described in 2010. The technique was developed for hopeless teeth in anterior esthetic sites but has not yet been described for molar sites. Managing postextractive ridge changes in the posterior region by prevention or regeneration remains a challenge. The socket shield aims to offset these ridge changes wherever possible, preserving the patient's residual tissues at immediate implants. This technique report describes the molar socket-shield step by step.