Sometimes prior to the fabrication and placement of a dental prosthesis such as dentures, certain oral surgery procedures may be needed. An ideally contoured jawbone ensures that the new dental prosthesis has the best fit and provides the maximum level of comfort, esthetics and function.
By performing pre-prosthetic procedures the oral surgeon can correct any bone or soft tissue conditions that might interfere with the placement of a dental prosthesis as well as create a better base of support for the new partial or full dentures.
Common pre-prosthetic surgical procedures include:
Alveoloplasty is a surgical procedure during which the jawbone is smooth and reshaped in areas where teeth have been lost or extracted. An alveoloplasty can be performed either during the actual extraction of the teeth or when necessary as a separate procedure. Oftentimes, during the extractions of the teeth to be replaced by a denture, the oral surgeon contours and shapes the bone to fit the future prosthesis.
Exostosis and tori reduction refers to the surgical procedures to remove benign bony bumps or prominences from the upper or lower jaws that may interfere with the placement and fit of a dental prosthesis. Once a sufficient amount of excess bone has been removed to allow the seating and fit of a dental prosthesis, the remaining bony surface is contoured and smoothed.
Sometimes removal of redundant tissue or excess gums in the mouth is necessary for the proper fit and function of a dental prosthesis. Hyperplastic tissue or extra folds of gum, lip, or cheek tissue that may have developed from a previous long-standing denture or other factors requires a surgical procedure to restore the normal soft tissue anatomy in preparation for the new dental prosthesis.
