Pre-Prosthetic Surgery
Virginia Beach, VA
 Pre-prosthetic surgery is a procedure (or multiple procedures) meant to prepare your mouth for the prosthetics that we will add to it. We may need to schedule different surgeries depending on the state of your mouth, what prosthetic we are placing, and dealing with any other complications if they arise.
Your mouth is constantly changing and adapting to current circumstances. For example, if you lose a tooth or have one extracted and it is not replaced right away, your mouth will adapt to the change. We must undo some of these adaptations or alter them to prepare your mouth for prosthetics.
Why is Pre-Prosthetic Surgery Necessary?
Some people ask why pre-prosthetic surgery is needed in the first place. We answer that: because prosthetics are expensive and our patients expect them to last for a long period, we want to ensure that the state of your mouth is conducive to the prosthetic we are placing.
Consider that dentures rest on top of the gums, aided by the support of the alveolar ridge (also called the gum line). The alveolar ridge is a ridge of bone supporting the teeth and is also meant to support the dentures.
If you lost any teeth over a long period, it is quite likely that the bone in the ridge has resorbed. If the bone in your gum line has receded, it can cause the new denture prosthesis to fit improperly. This, in turn, can lead to pain, fatigue, or more severe oral health issues down the line.
Everyone’s mouth is shaped differently. Sometimes the shape of the mouth is affected by genetics, so some people have more trouble with dentures than others.
Procedures for Pre-Prosthetic Surgery
We use different procedures to address different complications. Each one has its own set of applications that allow us to restore your mouth effectively. Each patient is diagnosed as a unique individual with a very specific medical history and preferences, and we take this into account when we select which procedure to use. Some of the more common pre-prosthetic surgery procedures we use are:
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Removing gum tissue
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Bone restoration and bone grafting
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Shaping and smoothing bone
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Gum and tissue grafts
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Exposure of impacted teeth
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Sinus augmentation |
What can I expect from Pre-Prosthetic Surgery?
At Rai Oral Surgery & Dental Implants, we generally perform pre-prosthetic surgery in our surgical office as an outpatient procedure. We have a variety of options for anesthesia and sedation, and we take your needs into account, along with the requirements of the particular procedure.
After the surgery, you can expect to feel some discomfort and pain so we will prescribe some pain management medication. Follow the medication instructions at all times and take only the prescribed amount. If we prescribe antibiotics, we’ll also include a post-operative instruction sheet for you to follow. Please follow all the directions on the post-operative instruction sheets we give you.
If you have further questions about pre-prosthetic surgery or would like to schedule a free consultation, please contact our office at (757) 777-9883.
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