# Alveolectomy for prosthetic reasons should be performed:

 # Alveolectomy for prosthetic reasons should be performed:

A. During the time of extraction of teeth

B. One month after the extraction

C. 2 months after the extraction

D. At the time when the complete dentures are to be constructed

The correct answer is A. During the time of extraction of teeth.

Clinical Rationale

Performing an alveolectomy (or alveoloplasty) at the same time as the tooth extraction is widely considered the standard of care for prosthetic preparation. This is often referred to as a primary alveoloplasty.

• Accessibility: Since the alveolar bone is already exposed during the extraction, it is the most convenient time to smooth sharp bony edges, reduce undercuts, and contour the ridge.

• Patient Comfort: It prevents the need for a second surgical procedure later, reducing overall trauma and recovery time for the patient.

• Prosthetic Readiness: Smoothing the bone immediately allows the ridge to heal in a shape that is optimized for the future denture, facilitating a better fit and retention. It also helps prevent "sharp spots" that would cause pain under a denture base.

Why Other Options Are Less Ideal

• B & C (1–2 months after): Waiting this long requires a secondary surgical procedure (secondary alveoloplasty). This means raising a new mucoperiosteal flap after the initial extraction site has likely already closed, causing unnecessary additional trauma and delaying the final prosthetic construction.

• D (At the time of denture construction): If you wait until the denture is ready to be made to discover bony irregularities, you will have to perform surgery then. This forces a delay in the fabrication of the denture while the tissue heals again (usually 4–6 weeks).

Note: A secondary alveolectomy is only performed if irregularities are found after the initial healing is complete, but the goal is always to address these issues during the initial extraction whenever possible.