Individuals with weak, damaged, or missing teeth have more options than ever before when it comes to restoring their smile. Dentures, crowns, single implants, and whole-mouth implants are just the most common dental prosthetics that people rely on every day.
Before a prosthesis can be fitted into a patient’s mouth, the oral surgeon or dentist must first ensure that the structure of the patient’s mouth is ready to support and work with the prosthesis to provide the patient with the dental function they need.
If you require a dental prosthesis, such as dentures or dental implants, your oral surgeon may need to perform one or more pre-prosthetic procedures to prepare your mouth for them. Several such procedures are common in oral surgery, including alveoloplasty, bone removal, tooth extractions, and ridge augmentation.
This month, we’ll look at alveoloplasty and other pre-prosthetic surgeries to explain what each is for and how they help ensure that your dental prosthetics work as they should.
Why Pre-prosthetic Surgeries Are Necessary
Dentures and implants both rely on the patient’s existing jawbone to provide the structure and functionality of the mouth. They also rely on a tight fit to the patient’s gums in order to prevent the unnecessary buildup of food and other debris under and around the prosthesis.
- Loss of bone due to extractions, decay, or other conditions can leave an inadequate structure for the prosthesis.
- Abnormal bone growth can cause poor, uneven fits for prosthetics.
- Excess gum tissue can interfere with the proper fit for dentures and implants.
- Projecting or receding jaws can limit the effectiveness of prosthetic solutions.
For these and other reasons, oral surgeons may perform one or more of a wide range of procedures to help ensure that your dental prosthetics will be successful.
Types of Pre-prosthetic Surgeries
Alveoloplasty
Two of the most important structures in the human mouth are the alveolar ridges. These two assemblages of bone and soft tissue, one each in the lower and upper jaws, are the anchoring points for the teeth and play a major role in chewing, speaking, and almost every other oral function.
If extractions, bone loss, facial injuries, or other conditions have damaged or eroded the alveolar ridge(s), it can be impossible to properly fit helpful, functional dental prosthetics.
During an alveoloplasty, an oral surgeon will reshape the alveolar ridge(s) in the mouth to ensure that the jaw can support the needed prosthetics. In some cases, that might mean grinding down bone tissue to remove a spur or smooth out a ragged jawbone. In others, it might mean using special compounds to build up tissue in an area.
Tori/Exostoses Removal
Excess bone growth in the mouth is common and has been linked to tooth grinding and jaw clenching. Two of the most common forms of excess oral bone growth are exostoses and tori. The former grow on the outside surface of the gums, causing the gum to push out into the cheek or lip. The latter are only found on the inside of the lower jaw, contacting the tongue or roof of the mouth.
Regardless of which type of bone growth occurs, the excess bone must be removed before a dental prosthesis can be fitted.
Ridge Augmentation
If your alveolar ridge(s) are severely damaged or deteriorated, your oral surgeon may recommend ridge augmentation surgery. During this procedure, bone from another part of your body, animal bone, donor bone, or synthetic bone tissue will be grafted into your jaw to help rebuild the bone and support your prosthesis.
Each type of bone graft has its distinct advantages and disadvantages, and you should discuss your options with your oral surgeon to determine what grafting type is right for you.
Excess Gum Excision
One of the least invasive pre-prosthetic procedures, the removal of excess gum tissue, can be necessary in cases where uneven or overdeveloped soft tissue could potentially impact the fit of a dental prosthesis. These procedures are usually performed more quickly and heal considerably faster than pre-prosthetic surgeries that involve bone tissue.
Some gum excisions can be performed via laser, leading to reduced bleeding and accelerated healing over traditional techniques.
Vestibuloplasty
The size, or depth, of a patient’s oral vestibule is a significant factor in the proper fitting of dentures and implants. The vestibule is the area located between the cheek and lips and the gums and teeth. A vestibule that’s too shallow can make dentures uncomfortable and increase the buildup of plaque in your mouth.
Much like excess gum excision, both laser and traditional options exist for performing vestibuloplasties.
Extraction
Sometimes, a misaligned or impacted tooth can get in the way of fitting a denture or other prosthesis. If the tooth has erupted, a traditional extraction may be able to remove the tooth to make way for the appliance. If the tooth is impacted, the patient may require surgical extraction to remove the tissue covering the tooth and the tooth itself.
Pre-prosthetic Surgery Risks and Complications
Pre-prosthetic surgeries tend to be extremely safe. Many are performed using only local anesthetic and have minimal risk of complications.
When complications or adverse effects do appear, the most common ones are:
- Post-operative infections
- Excessive bleeding
- Bone necrosis
- Undesirable tissue growth
- Bone reabsorption
- Allergic reactions to medication, wound dressings, or grafting media
- Bone graft rejection
- Scarring
- Nerve damage
Following your procedure, your oral surgeon will review the potential complications of your specific procedure and give you a list of things to watch out for. If you see any of the warning signs, call your oral surgeon, visit an emergency room, or call 911, depending on what your discharge instructions indicate.
Turn to Athens Oral Surgery for Your Pre-prosthetic Surgeries
The team at Athens Oral Surgery Center is ready to help you get your smile back. We have years of experience performing pre-prosthetic surgeries to prepare patients for dentures or dental implants. We offer surgical options that reduce healing times and get you ready for your new prosthesis. Call 706-549-5033 to schedule an appointment.
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