Management of a Complication With Partial Extraction Therapy: A Clinical Case Letter and Clinical Recommendations

The socket shield technique (SST), introduced by Hürzeler, is an approach to minimize or eliminate the postextraction resorption of the labial cortical plate.¹  The intentional retention of a buccal root fragment, followed by immediate implant placement, has been reported to support and prevent the collapse of the buccal bone plate, thereby supporting the soft tissues.^1,2  This minimally invasive surgical procedure (1) maintains hard- and soft-tissue contours, (2) reduces the number of surgical and prosthetic interventions, and (3) shortens the overall treatment duration with superior esthetic results.^3–6  This technique also reduces the need for biomaterials required for additional hard- and soft-tissue grafting versus the use of an early or delayed implant placement protocol used for similar cases.²  The SST, also known as partial extraction therapy (PET), has now been documented for more than a decade, with an implant survival rate of 96.5%. The...