In preparation for denture construction, Dr. Dora Nemeth, Dr. Joseph Neeley, Dr. Richard Hayashi, Dr. Laurie Bradley or Dr. Lauren Lewis may recommend alveoplasty at Barton Oaks Dental Group. An alveoplasty is a surgery that smoothes the jawbone. The procedure is done in areas of the jaw where teeth have been removed or lost. Alveoplasty is usually done at the time that a tooth or teeth is extracted, but it can be done alone. When a tooth is extracted, a hole is left in the jawbone. When the gums have healed, there may be high and low points in the jawbone. Because of this unevenness, it can be difficult to properly fit a denture. A denture base may rub against high points, causing sore spots and a bad fit.
Before alveoplasty, our dentists will create a model of your jaw to show where bone needs to be removed and in what amount. The gums will be peeled back to expose the jawbone. Instruments will be moved to remove the necessary bone and a file will smooth it. Water will be squirted across the area to remove bone. The model is used to determine of all of the required bone has been removed. More bone is removed as needed.
We welcome you to contact our dental office today for more information about alveoplasty in Austin, Texas, and to schedule an appointment.