Understanding Pre-Prosthetic Surgery
Because your teeth are so critical when it comes to your general appearance and overall well-being, it’s natural that you would want to replace a tooth when it’s missing. Whether it’s decay, oral disease, or traumatic injury that caused the tooth loss, you’re probably anxious to get a dental implant, bridge, dentures, or another prosthetic replacement as soon as possible. However, oral prosthetics usually require several steps, especially if they’re permanent. To begin this process, you’ll typically need pre-prosthetic surgery. Here’s what you need to know about the pre-prosthetic surgery, and how you can prepare.
What is Pre-Prosthetic Oral Surgery?
During pre-prosthetic surgery, Dr. Sedaros prepares your mouth (including the jaw and the gums) to hold the replacement tooth and its support system. Pre-prosthetic surgery is considered a minor surgical procedure. You’ll be under local anesthesia, and therefore you won’t be in any pain. With a successful pre-prosthetic surgery, the odds of enjoying long-term success with your new dental prosthetic are very high.
What Are the Components of Pre-Prosthetic Surgery?
Pre-prosthetic surgery can include several different components. Dr. Sedaros will customize your pre-prosthetic surgery to ensure that the new prosthetic device will integrate in an optimal way. Some of the components of pre-prosthetic surgery can include:
- Extraction of tooth remnants: Tooth and gum tissue must be totally extracted to allow for proper prosthetic placement.
- Removal of diseased or damaged gum tissue: Only healthy gum tissue can support any type of prosthetic dental device.
- Reduction of the bone ridge: Often used when you’re getting dentures since dentures sit atop the bone ridge.
- Removal of extra bone in the jaw: Excess bone can cause the dental prosthetic to sit unevenly.
- Smoothing and contouring of the jaw bone: The jaw bone may need to be contoured and smoothed out to better support dentures, implants, or other prosthetic devices.
- Creation of a small hole in the jaw bone: This can serve as an anchor holder if you’re getting a dental implant.
Is Pre-Prosthetic Surgery Always Necessary?
Pre-prosthetic surgery isn’t always necessary, but in most cases, it’s needed to make sure that you get the best results. Sometimes it may be necessary to have more than one pre-prosthetic surgery session. For example, if a tooth was surgically removed to create room for a dental implant, a second surgery may be needed to smooth out the bone so it’s a completely accessible surface for the dental prosthetic.
How Can You Prepare for Pre-Prosthetic Surgery?
Dr. Sedaros will provide you with a list of preparations ahead of your pre-prosthetic surgery. Because you’ll be undergoing local anesthesia during your pre-prosthetic surgery appointment, you will be told to abstain from food and water starting the night before the surgery.
It’s also important to make sure that you have arranged transportation to and from your appointment, as you shouldn’t drive immediately after undergoing any type of anesthesia. Dr. Sedaros may give you some prescriptions prior to the procedure, and it’s important that you fill those promptly and take them exactly as directed.
Avoid smoking for at least 12 hours prior to your surgery — the earlier that you can stop smoking, the better.
The Benefits of Pre-Prosthetic Surgery
Pre-prosthetic oral surgery allows you to get the best fit, the most comfort, and the best long-term results from your dentures, dental implants, bridge, or other dental devices. Since you’ll need to undergo minor surgery to get your dental device anyway, it’s best to go through the proper preparation to make sure that it’s done right for the long term.
Dr. Sedaros is the oral surgeon at Sedaros Oral Surgery in Melbourne, Florida. He is strongly dedicated to providing the best in oral surgery care, including pre-prosthetic surgery. Dr. Sedaros works with patients and general dentists to prepare for dental implants, bridges, dentures, and more. He also performs corrective jaw surgery, wisdom teeth removal, and other types of oral surgery.
Contact the Sedaros Oral Surgery office to arrange a visit with Dr. Sedaros today. The Sedaros Oral Surgery team looks forward to seeing you soon.