Preprosthetic surgery in the elderly.

Preprosthetic surgery is an aspect of dentistry that has a close relationship to prosthodontics and oral and maxillofacial surgery. The main functions of preprosthetic surgery are elimination of pathology in the denture-bearing soft and hard tissues, and ridge improvement. Limited vestibuloplasty is still considered a predictable and cost-effective procedure for patients who are well adapted to removable dentures. The excellent documentation of osseointegrated implants as supportive and retentive devices for prostheses has reduced the need for major ridge-improving surgery. Many clinical conditions, especially in the maxilla, cannot be managed solely with implants. The combination of preprosthetic surgery and implants may solve problems that neither discipline can solve alone.