Alveoloplasty

No, and they are close to opposites. Grafting adds material to build up a deficient site. Alveoloplasty removes and reshapes bone to create a smooth, even contour. Both may appear in a full-arch or denture plan for different reasons, and both may be separately coded. If an estimate lists something described as bone work, it is worth clarifying which of the two it is.

It depends on the shape of your ridge after extractions, which is an examination question. It is common where several teeth are removed at once. The resulting ridge is frequently irregular. Ask whether it is anticipated in your case and whether it is included in the quoted fee, since it is one of the components that commonly separates two denture quotes.

It is usually performed at the same appointment as extractions and adds to the surgical work being done, so swelling and discomfort may be somewhat greater than extractions alone. The healing interval before a definitive prosthesis is largely determined by how the ridge settles overall. Your surgeon can describe what to expect for the specific extent planned in your case.

Reshaping addresses bony anatomy, but sore spots have several possible causes: the fit of the appliance, the bite, tissue that is still settling, or a sharp point that has become apparent as swelling resolved. Ridges also continue to change for a period after surgery, which is why adjustments and relines are a normal part of the process. Persistent pain warrants assessment instead of persistence.

It has its own procedure code and is assessed on its own terms, which may differ from the extractions performed alongside it. Whether it is covered, and in which benefit category it falls, depends on the plan. Because it is often a separate line, it is worth including specifically in a pretreatment estimate, not assuming it is bundled with the surgery.

Yes: while it is most commonly performed alongside extractions since the site is already open, reshaping can also be done as its own separate procedure on an existing edentulous ridge where a denture is causing pain from bony irregularities that developed or were never addressed at the time teeth were originally lost.

Reshaping is planned conservatively to remove only what is needed for a comfortable, functional prosthesis to seat, since removing more bone than necessary reduces the ridge's ability to support the appliance and can compromise a future implant option at that site, which is why the amount recontoured should be a deliberate, planned decision instead of an open-ended removal.

It is possible for a partial denture wearer as well, particularly if extractions of some teeth leave sharp bony irregularities in that specific area that would interfere with the partial appliance's fit or comfort, so it is not exclusively a full-denture procedure even though that is its most common context.

The timing depends on how much the ridge continues to change as it heals, and taking impressions too early risks a denture built to a shape that shifts before it is even delivered, so your surgeon and prosthodontist coordinate on a healing interval specific to the extent of reshaping performed instead of a fixed universal number.

It can be done under local anesthetic alone for more limited reshaping, particularly when combined with a small number of extractions, but more extensive recontouring across a full arch is often paired with sedation for comfort, so which applies to your case depends on the extent planned and your own preference discussed beforehand.

Yes: if bony irregularities from an old extraction were never adequately addressed and a denture has continued to cause discomfort because of them, alveoloplasty can be performed as a corrective procedure on an established ridge years later, separate from a new extraction, specifically to resolve persistent fit and comfort problems.

Conservative reshaping generally does not produce a noticeable change to external facial appearance, but very extensive bone removal combined with significant tooth loss and unreplaced volume can contribute to a sunken look over time. This is more related to the overall loss of teeth and supporting bone than to conservative alveoloplasty specifically. Appropriate denture design helps support facial contours regardless.