ADA Accessibility Information
Accessibility

A
A

A
Lehigh Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Lehigh Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Lehigh Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Your Allentown, PA Dentist


Request An Appointment

Understanding a Tuberosity Reduction and When It's Needed


Posted on 5/29/2020 by Ankur Johri
Understanding a Tuberosity Reduction and When It's Needed
A tuberosity is the term for a small piece of bone that protrudes out from behind the molar at the back of your upper jaw. This little protrusion is covered by your gums. Most of the time, a tuberosity is harmless, and you likely don't even realize it's there. However, there are some cases in which you'll need a tuberosity reduction. This means we go in and surgically remove some of the tuberosity so that it's smaller.

Why Would You Need a Tuberosity Reduction?


If you haven't lost any teeth or had any issues with the tuberosities at the back of your upper jaw, there's no reason for us to do anything to them. However, if you have lost some of your upper teeth and need dentures, it's possible that the tuberosity will hang down farther than the rest of the jaw. In order to make your dentures fit perfectly and remain in place, we will have to reduce the size of the tuberosities. Otherwise, the denture may not get a good seal on the palate and slip out of place.
While tuberosity reductions aren't as necessary with dental implants, there are still a few cases where it is required. If you have a tuberosity that is fairly large, it can even affect your bite. In that case, it will need reduced even if you're not in need of dentures or implants.

How Are Tuberosity Reductions Done?


Before you have a tuberosity reduction, you'll have an X-Ray to determine exactly where your sinus cavity is located. In some people, this cavity actually extends down into your tuberosity. After this, we'll make a guide from plaster to help us see exactly how much of the tuberosity to remove.
On the day of the actual procedure, we will numb the area and provide you with the type of sedation you would like. The tuberosity will then be removed. The entire procedure is usually done in an hour or less.
Do you want to discuss dentures, implants, or any other dental procedure that might require a tuberosity reduction? Give us a call today.
Copyright © 2018-2025 Lehigh Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and WEO Media (Touchpoint Communications LLC). All rights reserved.  Sitemap
Dental Blog | Lehigh Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery | Allentown, PA
Check out the dental blog that Lehigh Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in Allentown, PA put together to educate our patients.
Lehigh Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 1251 S Cedar Crest Blvd #311, Allentown, PA 18103 + (610) 435-6161 + lehighoms.com + 2/6/2025 + Key Phrases: oral surgeon Allentown PA +