As part of the preparation for restoring patients’ teeth, we at the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania sometimes must reshape the jaw ridge. This procedure is known as an alveoplasty, and it’s done to ensure that a denture or fixed bridge will be comfortable, stable, and not set patients up for bad oral hygiene.
After using our CT scanner to assess the patient’s current jaw shape, we’ll numb and sedate them. Gum tissue in the area where the bridge will eventually go will be cut away, exposing the jaw bone. Our office uses piezosurgery tools, which are extremely precise and allow bone tissue to be filed smoothly without endangering the surrounding nerves. The patient will not feel vibrations from the instruments and the surgical site will be constantly cleaned during the procedure. After the surgery, the gums will be sutured and allowed to heal.
It will usually take a few weeks for a patient who has undergone an alveoplasty to be ready for a denture or fixed bridge. We will want to be certain of the jaw ridge’s final shape before fabricating a prosthetic. By filing down the ridge, we can be sure that there will be enough vertical dimension for the replacement teeth and that the denture’s base will not be in an awkward concave shape that would trap food.
The Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania operate in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights. Visit Oral Surgery PA or call 215-463-4141.
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