Our mouth develops around our teeth, and when our teeth are lost it can transform dramatically.
That’s part of the reason why FOY® Dentures are necessary–they do a better job than traditional dentures of reversing some of the most visible changes in your mouth.
But not all changes are so highly visible, and some of them, like flabby ridge, can interfere with your denture fit.
What Is Flabby Ridge?
We know that the body naturally removes bone when your teeth are lost. When you have teeth, there’s a feature on the jawbone known as the alveolar ridge, which helps support the teeth. And is very helpful for supporting your dentures, too.
Flabby ridge occurs when the body isn’t just removing bone, it’s building soft fibrous tissue in the area as well. The result is a ridge structure that is made up of soft tissue instead of bone, which is why it’s called flabby ridge.
This is a problem because, as we said, the alveolar ridge can really help support your dentures. If there’s excess soft tissue there instead of bone, your dentures won’t be well supported. Instead, they’ll be more likely to shift around in your mouth, which can break the seal of your dentures, causing them to fall out. And with the excess soft tissue, you’ll find your bite force is reduced even more than it normally is with traditional dentures.
And soft tissues aren’t easy to get impressions from. This means that you’re more likely to end up with poorly fitted dentures in the first place.
Getting Great Dentures with Flabby Ridge
The good news is that flabby ridge won’t prevent you from getting the best dentures. Dentists can handle the issue of flabby tissue in many ways.
Surgery can be used to remove the flabby tissue. Sometimes, bone graft might be recommended to augment the jawbone and provide more of a bony ridge. In either case, this procedure would let you get your dentures fitted like regular dentures on a bony ridge. But they both require surgery. A less invasive option is to use a sclerosing solution. This causes your body to form scar tissue in the ridge, which is firmer than normal gum tissue, although not as firm as bone.
But, really, implant dentures are the best approach for dealing with flabby ridge. With implant dentures, your denture won’t depend on your gums for fit and support. Instead, the implant dentures are supported by your bone, which ensures there’s a proper fit and good bite force. And it’s also the solution that’s going to be most stable if flabby ridge tissue regrows.
Are you looking for a dentist that can help you combat facial changes that occur after tooth loss? Please contact a local FOY® Dentures dentist today for an appointment.
