Family Physician: A Friend to Depend On

Posted on: 21 March 2018

The alveolar ridge is part of the support structure holding your teeth in place. The ridge contains the sockets for your teeth. Many people take this part of their mouth for granted, but it's important you keep the alveolar ridge healthy. Otherwise, you can run into serious jaw and teeth problems.

The Alveolar Ridge Requires Stimulation and Care

Run your tongue along the ridges right above the back of your upper teeth or below your lower teeth. You're feeling your two alveolar ridges. The alveolar ridge needs stimulation to stay healthy enough to support your teeth and their roots.

The only real way to stimulate the ridge is by pressing your teeth into it. In other words, just talk and chew as normal. Stimulation from normal activity will help your alveolar ridge continue to do its job.

The health of your alveolar ridge goes with your overall dental health. Keeping your teeth and gums free of bacteria will keep periodontal disease and other oral complications at bay. The fewer oral issues, the lower the chance you'll lose a tooth or lose bone density.

Your teeth give the ridges stimulation. If you lose a tooth or the tooth's socket becomes compromised due to disease, the ridge will suffer. When your alveolar ridge suffers, it can damage the integrity of your entire facial structure. That claim isn't an exaggeration.

Without a tooth or an implant, the ridge will shrink back into the jaw. As it goes, it can start to warp facial features. Resorption can also compromise other tooth sockets, causing the process to repeat.

Dealing with Problems that Affect the Alveolar Ridge

Any condition affecting the jaw can affect the integrity of the alveolar ridge. Many bone diseases can target jaws and teeth. Accidents that cause facial injury may affect the ridge as well. Jaw issues such a TMJ can severely impact the alveolar ridge.

You need adequate treatment for any of these things if you want to protect your facial structure. For example, TMJ can both lead to and come from alveolar ridge issues. Because of this, a TMJ treatment method can alleviate the pain from TMJ while also helping to protect your ridges.

If you don't have any medical or dental issues affecting your alveolar ridges, the best way to take care of your alveolar ridges is with a good oral hygiene routine. That includes visits to your dentist. Your dentist is your first line of defense against problems with your ridges.

If you are having medical issues such as TMJ, contact companies like The Alpher Center.