Gelfoam (Pfizer, Markham, Ont.) is an absorbable gelatin sponge material that holds many times its weight in blood and provides a stable “scaffold” for clot formation. It is placed in tooth sockets in the form of tapered cones rolled from the sheet material. Gelfoam is absorbed within 4–6 weeks with little or no scar tissue formation. It should not be used under epithelial