A ridge augmentation is a surgical procedure to help reconstruct the natural silhouette of the jaw that may have been lost as a result of a tooth extraction. The alveolar ridge of the jaw is the bone that surrounds the roots of teeth. When a tooth is extracted, an empty socket is left in the alveolar ridge bone. Usually, this empty socket will heal on its own, filling with bone and tissue. However, if the precious alveolar bone is lost, then the vertical and horizontal width of the jaw bone is reduced. Rebuilding and reconstructing the height and width of the jaw bone is called ridge augmentation. Ridge augmentation uses bone and tissue grafting to fill in the indented area of the jaw and gums, leaving a straight and smooth gum line that allows placement of dental implants and other restorations.

The process involves lifting the gum from the ridge to expose the defected area of the bone and filling the indented area with bone graft material and securing that area with a special membrane.