A

The socket-shield technique intentionally retains the buccal root fragment during immediate implant placement, preserving the thin (<1 mm) facial plate and soft-tissue profile. Clinical reports show it is specifically recommended for maxillary central incisors with subgingival/root fractures and thin buccal bone, achieving superior ridge and esthetic preservation compared with extraction, socket preservation, or post-and-core restoration when ferrule is unavailable [Shanmugam, 2024, PMID 38738015; Lagas, 2015, PMID 26192981].