Alveolar atrophy refers to the deterioration of the arched bones of the upper and lower jaw which originally held teeth.

Due to tooth loss and the resulting lack of pressure, the alveolar extension begins to recede. First it becomes narrower and then shorter – this is called alveolar extension atrophy. At this point, implantation is usually no longer possible, since nerves or the maxillary sinus may be damaged unless an operation is udertaken to build up bone. The animation shows how „onlay surgery“ is used to take bone from, for example, the angle of the jaw and transplant it to the affected area. This ensures a sufficient quantity of bone to hold an implant and enable a securely mounted denture.

The rate at which bone matter deteriorates after tooth loss can vary and depends on various different factors, in some cases it may take months and in others, years. Sometimes a so-called flabby ridge forms, an alveolar extension consisting of connective tissue. This usually happens in cases where bone deterioration occurs rapidly, leading to an excess of connective tissue which unfortunately is not adequate for use in implantation.