Pre-prosthetic surgery is a speciality of oral and maxillofacial surgery which restores oral function and facial form. The ultimate goal of pre-prosthetic surgery is to prepare a mouth to receive a dental prosthesis, such as dentures or implants, by redesigning and smoothening bony edges.

Types of Pre-Prosthetic Surgery

A ridge augmentation is an oral surgical procedure generally performed after a tooth extraction. The procedure helps recreate the natural contour of the jaw and gum to repair bone loss caused by a tooth extraction.

This procedure is designed to deepen the vestibule of your mouth — the area between your cheeks and teeth. Deepening the vestibule creates more surface area and space for full dentures, partial dentures or implants. Deepening the area may also make it easier to maintain good hygiene around the replacement teeth.

Palatal and mandibular tori are benign growths that occur on the palate or roof of your mouth. Although these slow-growing areas of growth are not usually harmful, Prof. Hendricks may recommend surgical treatment if it interferes with your oral health, oral hygiene, sleep, or it causes medical problems.

Epulis fissuratum or gingival hyperplasia is where excess folds of firm tissue form inside the mouth, due to rubbing on the edge of dentures that do not fit well. Treatment involves simple surgical removal of the lesion, and adjusting the denture or creating a new denture.

Gingival or mucosal grafting is a gum graft surgery used to correct the effects of gum recession. It is a relatively quick and simple surgery in which Prof. Hendricks removes healthy gum tissue from the roof of the mouth and uses this to rebuild the gum where it has receded.

Skin grafts are frequently required to repair defects to the head and neck region related to trauma, cancer, facial burns, and congenital or developmental conditions. The procedure involves removing skin from one area of the body and transplanting it to a different area of the body.

Aftercare

Your recovery from pre-prosthetic surgery will depend on the type and extent of your procedure. It is common to experience some inflammation and swelling after most treatments. Prof. Hendricks may prescribe anti-inflammatories, and you can also take over-the-counter medications to minimise discomfort. For several days, you may need to eat soft foods, gradually expanding your diet as healing progresses.