Temporomandibular joint, upper jaw, dentures, prosthesis, implantThe ballast ridge is a flap of mucous membrane on the jaw ridge that is present in the edentulous upper jaw. It occurs most frequently in the upper jaw. It is mainly caused by badly fitting dentures, but can also be the result of the removal of already loosened teeth.
Since the jawbone of these teeth has already largely decomposed, the mucosa is not firmly attached to the jaw ridge after extraction, but forms a loose flap. This non-grown mucous membrane massively impairs the hold of a prosthesis, if not makes it impossible, because the loose tissue makes the prosthesis rock and lose its hold. Even the impression taking is inaccurate, because the contact pressure presses the loose tissue together, resulting in an inaccurate impression.
Therapy
The sole therapy of a ballast ridge is surgical removal. In the process, the usually deformed alveolar ridge can be smoothed at the same time. This creates the conditions for an exact hold of the total prosthesis, because now it sits firmly on the alveolar ridge.
Prognosis
After the removal of the ballast ridge, the prognosis for a well-fitting total prosthesis is very good. The ridge is the formation of movable mucous membrane folds on the edentulous alveolar process. It is the result of a badly fitting prosthesis or it occurs after the removal of strongly loosened teeth.
A ballast ridge severely limits, if not impossible, the hold of a total denture. Only a surgical removal of the ridge can guarantee the hold of the prosthesis.
