Alveoloplasty

Alveoloplasty is a dental pre-prosthetic procedure performed to smoothen or reshape the jawbone. In this procedure, the bony edges of the alveolar ridge and its surrounding structures is made smooth, redesigned or recontoured so that a well-fitting, comfortable, and esthetic dental prosthesis may be fabricated. This pre-prosthetic surgery prepares the mouth to receive a dental prosthesis by improving the condition and quality of the supporting structures so they can provide support, better retention and stability to the prosthesis.

After tooth extraction, the residual crest irregularities, undercuts or bone spicules should be removed, because they may result in an obstruction in placing a prosthetic restorative appliance. Recontouring can be made at the time of extraction or at a later time.

Clinical procedure

The simplest form of alveoloplasty can be in the form of a digital compression on the lateral walls of bone after simple tooth extraction, provided that there are no gross bone irregularities. When more irregularities exist, other techniques can be adopted, such as the conservative technique, interseptal ( Dean's) alveoloplasty, Obwegeser's modification of interseptal, alveoloplasty after post extraction and the alveoloplasty performed on edentulous ridges.

A full thickness flap is usually elevated to a point apical to the desired area to be contoured, and according to the amount of bone needed to be removed, a bone file, or a bone rongeur, or a burr under copious irrigation can be used to provide the desired contour. Taking in consideration that lack of irrigation can lead to bone necrosis. When finished, the flap is repositioned and sutured. The alveolar mucosa covering bone should have uniform thickness, density and compressibility to evenly distribute the masticatory forces to the underlying bone.