You’ve followed all the instructions to the letter: the saltwater rinses, impeccable hygiene, removing your new denture to rest your gums – and yet – there’s still that niggling sore spot that just won’t heal. Well, you might take comfort in knowing that you’re not alone. This is a more common issue among new denture wearers than you may imagine. Your teeth extractions and fitting of your immediate denture has gone to plan, so a smooth transition seems reasonable to expect. You knew there’d be some temporary discomfort during healing, but why is there one persistent spot that simply refuses to settle down? Why does your denture still hurt weeks after your extractions? Don’t worry. There’s a simple explanation and better still, a straightforward solution.
Why does my denture still hurt weeks after my extraction?
The thing we all want to know is what is ‘normal’ and when you should seek help. Having your teeth extracted and a foreign object – a denture – inserted to replace them is a significant event. There’s a lot to get used to. Firstly, your mouth must undergo a healing process after the trauma. You must learn new ways to eat, to speak, and to look after the device that replaces your old teeth. Your facial muscles, lips and tongue must learn to adapt. Your jawbone keeps changing as natural bone loss occurs, accelerated by the loss of your teeth. These are all normal changes and to be expected.
Your denture on the other hand, is a manufactured device, so does not change or automatically adjust like your mouth does (although who knows with the pace of technology? Perhaps sometime in the future this will be a reality). However, in the meantime, while your denture fits perfectly to begin with, it may start to irritate or press on new areas of your gums as your mouth undergoes these changes. Your prosthetist makes adjustments to correct and restore a good fit. So why does the pain persist? There's a simple explanation that's not often talked about.
What is a bone spur (or bone spicule)?
Perhaps weeks after your teeth have been removed, you’ve noticed a persistently sensitive spot on your gum that feels worse when chewing or even just wearing your denture. On examination, your finger may find a small, hard bump or sharp edge near the extraction site. You may even see a white or yellowish shard poking through your gum that’s sensitive to touch.i So what is it and where did it come from?
The culprit is a bone spur or bone spicule (the medical term), a small, often sharp fragment of bone pushing up through the surface of your gum after tooth extraction. It occurs naturally as part of your body’s healing process of removing stray bone from the affected site.ii Your body sends these bone fragments away from the healing bone and expels them through your gums. A bone spur is not leftover tooth fragment, not an infection, nor a sign that anything is amiss.iii
Why a bone spur is more noticeable with a new denture
You may have had a bone spur after a previous extraction without ever noticing it. The difference for denture wearers is the pressure caused by the denture resting directly over the healing socket, which makes a bone spur hard to ignore. Every word you speak, every bite you chew, amplifies the pressure exerted on even a tiny bone spur, causing you pain.
How do I know if it’s a bone spur, or my denture needing adjustment?
There are a few clues that distinguish a bone spur from a denture that simply needs adjustment. As mentioned, probing the sore spot with your finger or tongue is one way to test. This will determine whether it’s simply a sore spot on your gum that’s tender or something hard, sharp, and specifically localised. You may even be able to see the tip of the bone fragment in the mirror.
A standard denture adjustment will not resolve bone spur issues because the discomfort isn’t about your denture not fitting. A poorly fitting denture feels different – typically a broader area of soreness or a general rubbing sensation rather than one sharp, localised point.
Should I be worried about a bone spur?
You can breathe out that stress and relax. A bone spur isn’t usually something to be concerned about because it’s completely natural and can be fixed. Sometimes it even resolves itself.iv A bone spur isn’t a red flag for infection or something gone wrong with the extractions. Despite the uncomfortable feedback from your tongue, it’s not dangerous and very treatable – simply a normal part of the healing process. There is one exception worth mentioning, however: if infection is present. In the rare case where inflammation, oozing pus, facial swelling, or headaches are evident, you should contact your doctor promptly.
What happens if I have a bone spur?
Not all bone spur situations are equal. If you already have a denture when the bone spur appears, then your prosthetist will refer you to a dentist who can remove it comfortably, usually with local anaesthetic. However, if your bone spur appears while your denture is still being made, the crafting of your denture may be paused while the dental team waits for the spur to emerge on its own. This is common practice because most spurs work their way out over time with no intervention. Removing the bone spur or waiting for it to emerge naturally is preferable to altering the denture to accommodate it, since removing denture material then replacing it later to correct the fit can be costly. This "leave it or refer it" approach protects both the patient's comfort and the denture.
Could that jagged edge be an ‘attached’ bone spur?
Unlike the floating bone fragment in your gum known as a bone spur, an ‘attached’ bone spur is a part of your jawline. Sometimes, after multiple teeth have been extracted, the jawbone is left jagged and misshapen. The dental surgeon will often smooth sharp edges at the time of the extractions. However, if jagged edges persist or your jawbone doesn't heal quickly enough before your denture is fitted, your denture will be uncomfortable and unstable. In this case, your prosthetist will refer you to a dental surgeon. X-rays will determine whether you need an alveoloplasty – a minor surgical procedure that smooths and reshapes the jawbone ridge upon which your denture sits, to remove any sharp edges. The procedure is done under local anaesthetic and generally takes less than an hour.v
How long does it take for bone spurs to resolve?
Most bone spurs emerge between 2 and 12 weeks after extraction, though occasionally one can appear later than that. This timeframe often coincides with the new denture being ready to fit, or when you’ve had an immediate denture fitted directly after extraction. The size of the bone spur governs how quickly it’s likely to emerge and be resolved. Small shards of bone usually work their way to the surface and detach within the first couple of weeks, while medium-sized spurs may take a little longer. Larger spurs can be more persistent and may require removal by your dentist.
What to do when you have a bone spur
If you have opted to wait for the bone spur to shed naturally, here's how to manage the discomfort in the meantime:
- Regular rinsing with warm saltwater will soothe the gums and keep the area clean.
- Choose soft foods, crunchy or hard foods will further aggravate the area.
- Under no circumstances should you try to pry the bone spur out yourself. Doing so risks infection and soft tissue damage.vi
Closing thoughts
Sore spots from new dentures are not always a fit problem. While you may not have heard of bone spurs, they are a normal, well-understood part of denture healing. More importantly, if you have a bone spur, there is no need for you to be concerned. Your body is simply ‘taking out the trash’. Depending on where you are in your denture journey, the issue can be quickly resolved by your oral health professional under a local anaesthetic. Or you can let nature take its course and wait until the bone sheds naturally.
Frequently asked questions
What is a bone spur after a tooth extraction?
A bone spur is a small, sharp fragment of bone that gradually migrates to the gum surface as part of normal healing after an extraction. It's not leftover tooth and not a sign of infection.
How long after an extraction do bone spurs appear?
Every patient heals a little differently, but most bone spurs appear within the 2-to-12-week time frame after extractions.
Can a bone spur go away on its own?
Yes, many bone spurs work their way out on their own over time. Treatment can involve simply waiting for that to happen, or having it removed by your dentist.
Does a bone spur mean something went wrong with my extraction or denture?
No. Bone spurs are a part of your body’s clean-up mechanism as your jawbone reshapes after tooth extraction. It’s not a sign of a poorly made denture or anything wrong.
Should I try to remove a bone spur myself?
No. Attempting to remove a bone spur yourself risks tissue damage or infection. Bone spurs should always be checked, verified and treated by a dentist.
Can a dental prosthetist remove a bone spur?
No. Prosthetists refer patients back to their dentist for removal, since it's outside their area of expertise. Because it’s not a problem with the denture, adjusting it around the spur instead it will affect the fit later and be expensive to restore.
Why does a bone spur hurt more with a denture than without one?
The denture sits directly over the healing area, so even a small spur gets pressed on with every bite and every word spoken. Without a denture, the same spur might barely be noticeable.
References
[i] https://www.adarasurgical.com/blog/why-bone-spurs-sometimes-form-after-tooth-extraction/#signs-you-might-have-a-bone-spur
[ii] https://www.healthline.com/health/dental-and-oral-health/bone-spicule#causes
[iii] https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/tooth-removal/bone-spur-in-gum-tissue-what-to-do
[iv] https://www.healthline.com/health/dental-and-oral-health/bone-spicule#treatment
[v] https://lewistonpullmanoralsurgery.com/p/Oral-and-Maxillofacial-Surgeon-Pullman-WA-Alveoloplasty-for-Smoothing-Jawbone-Irregularities-p76618.asp
[vi] https://millplaindentalcenter.com/bone-spurs-after-tooth-extraction/#toc-heading-5
About Northern Rivers Denture Clinic
Northern Rivers Denture Clinic is a specialist denture practice based in Tweed Heads, NSW. Our team of qualified dental prosthetists has decades of combined clinical experience helping patients navigate their options for missing or failing teeth. We believe good decisions start with good information, and we're happy to talk through your situation with no pressure and no obligation. If you'd like an honest, personalised assessment, we offer a free consultation to get you started.
Disclaimer – Always consult your oral health professional for expert advice about your unique personal situation. The information given here is of a general nature and for the purpose of education only. It is not meant to replace the advice of your oral health professional.
