Pre-Prosthetic Surgery

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.