Once teeth are lost the supporting jawbone will sometimes begin to degenerate causing a narrowing of the jaw ridge in both horiziontal and vertical directions. Ridge deformities of the upper and lower jaw can leave you with inadequate bone and tissue thickness for either an aesthetic and functional bridge or dental implant tooth replacement.
To enhance the cleansability and esthetic appearance of the final result an alveolar ridge augmentation may be recommended. This will increase your chance for long-term successful dental implants or bridges.
Procedure
Soft tissue ridge augmentations are performed to enhance the cleansability and aesthetics of a deficient site prior to its final restoration. During this procedure, the bony ridge is exposed, and a soft tissue graft is then obtained either from a suitable site in your mouth and/or a soft tissue substitute and inserted into the area. The gum tissue is readapted over the soft tissue graft and stitched into place.
Hard tissue ridge augmentations are performed to recreate adequate bone dimensions prior to dental implant or fixed bridge therapy. The hard tissue augmentation can also be done in combination with a soft tissue augmentation to simultaneously enhance the soft tissue profile of the deficient site. A bone replacement and a membrane may be adapted over the treated area based on individual defect morphology. In some cases, a simultaneous approach to the ridge augmentation allows the implant to be placed at the same time the hard tissue or soft tissue ridge augmentation is performed. In most cases, a significant healing and maturation time is required prior to completing the final tooth replacement.