Learn How Oral Surgery Can Benefit You

Oral surgery can be used to fix a number of conditions. Some of these conditions include tooth loss, impacted teeth, and any number of other conditions that specifically require us to perform surgery in order to correct the problem. It is important to note that an oral surgery is a surgery, just like any other operation you may need to have on the body. There will be a required time that you spend in our practice or hospital, you will need to take time for recovery and for healing, there will be a level of discomfort, and in most cases, we use local or general anesthesia to ensure your comfort during the oral surgery itself. The reason why we make sure people understand these elements of surgery is because it is easy to confuse a general dentist visit with an oral surgery procedure before you come in. You will need to be prepared for surgery and all of the steps that come after it, in order to ensure that it is successful and that you recover quickly.

We Can Surgically Remove Your Wisdom Teeth

One of the most common oral surgery procedures performed is done on the wisdom teeth. Most people are familiar with the term, impacted wisdom teeth. Your wisdom teeth are also called your third molars and are typically the last set of teeth to develop in your mouth. Very often, these teeth emerge from the gum line, and the jaw is simply not large enough to make room for them. When this happens, they fail to emerge properly or emerge in an improper alignment, which results in them being trapped or impacted between the jawbone and the gum tissue. This condition can lead to infection of the gum tissue around the wisdom tooth, swelling, pain, and permanent damage to the nearby teeth, bone, and gums. It can also lead to the formation of cysts and tumors that destroy part of the jawbone. It is highly recommended that if you have impacted wisdom teeth, you have the oral surgery necessary to remove them. It is not just wisdom teeth that can become impacted, but other teeth, such as the cuspids and bicuspids, can also become impacted and will need oral surgery to be removed.

We Can Replace Your Missing Teeth

Another frequent use for oral surgery is to replace missing teeth.  Dental implants can be surgically placed and this is the most secure, durable, and natural way to replace missing teeth because it gives you a new root along with a new tooth.  As such, you can eat your favorite foods, smile with confidence and not worry about your new teeth becoming loose. Dental implants look so natural that you will not be able to tell the difference between your new teeth and your old ones. Since they are taken care of the exact same way, there is no additional effort required either.
Call today to learn more about the types of surgical procedures available to you from our clinic.

Implant Dentist  >  Cosmetic Dentist

Oral Surgery and Correcting Your Jaw

Corrective jaw oral surgery is a common procedure used to address problems or irregularities with the jaw or teeth. Performed by an oral surgeon, it can be an effective way to improve both your health and your appearance. Not all dentists perform the procedure, so if you have any of the symptoms below, we encourage you to schedule an exam and consultation with our dental office.

Corrective jaw surgery is often performed when these signs are present:

• Difficulty chewing
• Facial imbalance
• Injury to the face or jaw
• An open or severely misaligned jaw
• Soreness or pain in the jaw, face, or neck
• Unnatural wear on the teeth
• Birth defects
• Sleep apnea
• Chronic mouth breathing

If you have any of these issues, you may need oral surgery to correct them. Whether or not you do will depend on how uncomfortable they make you and what we find during your examination. We use modern solutions and advanced dental technology to promote minimally invasive procedures, so if you qualify for any of them, we will let you know. Our goal is to provide you with the solution you need, in the least invasive manner possible.

Working With Your Dentist

As an oral surgeon, many of our patients come to us from other local dentists or orthodontists. While they do a wonderful job keeping teeth healthy or straightening them, they are typically not an expert in surgery where we are. Visiting our office for a surgical procedure does not mean that you will no longer see your favorite dentist. They will continue to spearhead your overall treatment, while we will focus on this narrow aspect of it. The same is true when working with local orthodontist offices. They continue to straighten teeth using braces or aligners, but patients come to us at some point during the total treatment to have surgery complete. We take the team approach because that is what will give you the best possible results.

Recovering From Oral Surgery

Jaw surgery is a surgery just like any other. There will be a set recovery period where you will need to be careful. What you eat, how you eat, and even how you move your jaw will be impacted for several days. Give yourself time to heal by taking a few days off work or planning your surgery around a holiday or preset vacation. You will want to take it easy physically, eat soft foods, and not yell or aggressively move your jaw. We will keep an eye on you during your recovery period by having you come in for checkups. Slowly, you will be able to eat everything again, and then you can benefit from improved health and appearance. If you are working with an orthodontist, once the jaw surgery is complete, they are likely to want to put the braces back on so they can continue forward with your treatment plan.

To find out if you are a candidate for oral surgery or to learn more about the process, call and schedule a consultation.

Why You Should Consider Visiting an Oral Surgeon

Many people consider oral surgery to be a drastic step and are often alarmed when their dentist suggests that they need to meet with and get treated by an oral surgeon. The reality is, there are numerous issues that cannot be dealt with by your regular dentist. When you have a condition like TMJ, impacted teeth, facial pain, or any number of other problems, you will need to get oral surgery. Oral surgeons even treat things like tumors from oral cancer and can also perform cosmetic facial surgery to improve the appearance of your smile. With the wide range of conditions that are corrected with oral surgery, you should not be alarmed or concerned if your dentist wants to refer you to an oral surgeon to deal with a particular issue.

Oral surgery is often a confusing term for patients, who look at everything in layman’s terms. For example, what is the difference between getting a root canal and having to remove your impacted wisdom teeth, other than the fact that one is done by your dentist and the other requires the services of an oral surgeon? This is exactly the same as in medicine when some simple procedures can be done by your general practice doctor, while other procedures need to be dealt with by a surgeon. The most common oral surgery procedures are removing impacted teeth and getting dental implants placed.

Impacted wisdom teeth are one of the most common problems that adults across the country have to deal with. Impacted wisdom teeth have to be removed using oral surgery. For most adults, their wisdom teeth appear much later than the other teeth. Since these are the third molars, there has to be enough room in the mouth and the jaw to allow the teeth to come in. Unfortunately, most times, the teeth do not have the room to come in straight or completely out of the gum. This is considered impacted and can have a significant and damaging effect on the teeth around the impacted wisdom tooth. Oral surgery can remove the teeth, preventing damage to the surrounding teeth and often relieving pain and swelling.

Another common reason for getting oral surgery is to replace lost or badly damaged teeth with dental implants. Dental implants are an excellent alternative to dentures or bridges for people who have lost their teeth. A tiny titanium screw is placed into the jawbone to act as the support for a fake tooth that is placed above the gum line. The new fake tooth is called a dental crown. Dental implants are extremely successful, very permanent, and last a very long time, but they do require oral surgery to place since they are surgically inserted into the jawbone. Often, people who have suffered bone loss in their jaw must have the bone replaced or augmented with oral surgery.

An oral surgeon is trained and skilled in the use of anesthesia to help make any procedure you get comfortable and as painless as possible.

Oral Surgery: What You Should Know About Extractions

One of the most common oral surgery procedures we perform is the removal, or extraction, of wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth tend to grow at odd angles within the mouth. When they are not straight, wisdom teeth can grow sideways, remaining under the gum and causing all kinds of problems with the other teeth. This is known as the wisdom teeth being impacted, which requires oral surgery to extract. Like all surgery, oral surgery is something we plan for very carefully, making sure you understand all the elements that go into a successful surgery, including after surgical care and how to properly heal. When it comes to oral surgery, we are especially careful given the location of the procedure.

When you have impacted wisdom teeth, we need to perform an oral surgery to remove them. This process is typically done at the dentist office, so you are in a known and comfortable environment. Naturally, there is always the chance your dentist will decide that you need to be moved to a hospital for the oral surgery. Typically, this only happens when there is more than one tooth to be removed, the process could be longer and more complicated than a simple extraction, or if there is a concern about the patient's overall health. One thing to note: if your oral surgeon or dentist finds an active infection in your mouth, they will put off the oral surgery till a different day. This is because we never want to operate in the mouth when there is an active infection and so will prescribe a course of antibiotics to remove the infection before you go in for your oral surgery.

Most oral surgery, including wisdom tooth extractions, are performed under general anesthesia. Local anesthesia can also be used, which numbs the gums and tissue around the tooth. General anesthesia will put you to sleep, meaning you will be unaware of the process, feel absolutely no discomfort, and awake in a slightly groggy state. Because this procedure and any oral surgery done under general anesthesia requires the need to put you to sleep, we will require you to not eat anything for at least 12 hours before the procedure takes place.

For a wisdom tooth extraction, we start the oral surgery by cutting the gum open to reveal the tooth. If there is any connective tissue that is connecting the tooth to the bone, we will remove this first so the tooth is not holding the bone. If there is any bone covering the tooth, or teeth, we will remove that as well, so the extraction path is clear. Finally, we will remove the tooth, cutting it into smaller pieces if necessary for a smooth extraction. After the oral surgery is completed, we will close up the extraction site with self-dissolving stitches. These will eventually dissolve completely.
After any surgery, including oral surgery, you will need to take it easy for a few days. Pain medications can be used in the event you have any discomfort.

Cosmetic Dentist  >  Implant Dentist

Dental Oral Surgery and Gum Recession

If you need oral surgery for gum recession, we can help. It may sound scary, but our gum recession oral surgery will actually benefit your smile and oral health, rather than harm them. Oral surgery sounds more invasive than it is. We can provide you with a minimally invasive gum graft that will protect your teeth from the damage caused by gum recession.

Gum Recession

If you have questions about what gum recession is or what damage it can do, you can learn more by reading further or visiting our office. Gum recession affects up to 12 percent of adults, and it occurs when the margin of gum tissue surrounding the teeth begins to pull away or wear down. Gum recession is a gradual process that can occur over a several years. This process exposes teeth and vulnerable teeth roots. When the gums pull away from the teeth, pockets form, leaving an opening for bacteria to grow and harm the supporting dental structure of your teeth and gums. You could eventually experience persistent discomfort, tooth loss, and other structural damage. If you are unsure of whether or not you may have receding gums, visit our office for confirmation. It is vital to have gum recession treated as soon as possible in order for you to keep your smile natural-looking and healthy.

Gum Recession Causes

There are many causes of gum recession. Your genes are a major factor, with nearly 30 percent of patients having a predisposition for gum recession. Gum recession can be catalyzed by brushing and flossing too vigorously every day. Firm pressure is necessary to remove plaque, but a quality toothbrush should be doing most of the work, not intense pressure.

Periodontal disease, a severe gum infection, is another common cause of gum recession. Periodontal disease creates chronically inflamed gums that begin to deteriorate due to bacteria. If periodontal disease is not treated, it can easily get out of hand and cause accelerated gum recession and dental structure damage. Hormonal changes and poor oral hygiene are other reasons gum recession occurs. To learn more about how you can combat gum recession by caring for your teeth and gums properly, visit our office for instructions.

Oral Surgery for Gum Recession

Oral surgery also referred to as gum surgery, can be performed if you need to have your gums repaired before more damage occurs. The oral surgery we perform will provide more protection for your teeth and keep your dental structure from discomfort and infection. We can also provide you with oral surgery if you are interested in improving the appearance of your smile. Gum recession can cause your teeth to appear longer or protrude. A gum surgery can revert them back to their attractive, normal appearance. Before oral surgery, you will most likely receive a deep clean that could help your gums rebound on their own. Oral surgery options for gum recession include gum grafts, pocket reduction surgery, and tissue regeneration, among others.

When you visit our office for gum recession oral surgery, we will go into detail about the options you have for treatment. We will try to make the least invasive options work before we consider other surgical treatments. We will be able to improve your smile and your dental health in no time.

Gum Recession  >  Cosmetic Dentist

What You Need to Know About Oral Surgery

Modern technology has improved oral surgery, making it less painful and easier to recover from.  The staff at the Perio and Implant Center are experts and able to help patients to be as comfortable as possible.  We stay on top of the latest technological improvements so that you receive the best care possible.

There are several reasons why you may need a surgical procedure, including:

·         Impacted teeth.  It is common for people to have their wisdom teeth removed surgically, as they often don’t come in enough to pull them. When teeth become impacted it can cause swelling and pain, requiring surgery to have them removed.

·         Dental Implants.  This is a surgical procedure that can replace your existing or lost teeth with a synthetic root system and a new tooth.  The results are amazing but before a new tooth can be implanted, the root system needs to be placed under the gum line surgically.

·         Problems with your jaw.  Some patients that are suffering from severe jaw pain may need to have oral surgery.  This is only recommended after other treatment options have been exhausted.

If you need oral surgery here is what you should know prior to arriving for the procedure.

·         This is an outpatient procedure.  You will be able to return home the same day and will not be admitted into a hospital, as you would if you had surgery on any other part of your body.  Your dentist will use local or general anesthesia, and once the effects are worn off, you can typically head home.

·         You will need a driver.  You cannot drive yourself home after undergoing anesthesia.  Make sure you have a ride scheduled to drop you off and pick you up.  This person should also help to settle you in at home in a comfortable spot with water, pain medication, blankets, books, and anything else you need to stay comfortable.

·         Ice it.  Your mouth will be sore and my start to swell.  You can ease the swelling by using an ice pack for fifteen minutes, resting for fifteen minutes, and repeating.  Buy several soft ice packs prior to your surgery so that while you are using one there is always another cooling in the freezer. 

·         What to eat.  Eating can be painful immediately following surgery.  We recommend that you stick with soft foods.  Cooler, soft foods, will feel the best at first.  This includes jello, ice creme, yogurt, popsicles, and smoothies.  Drinking smoothies is an excellent way to get the nutrition that you need without causing yourself additional pain.  Load them up with superfoods like kale, potassium rich bananas, berries, and yogurt.  Add protein powder or peanut butter for protein nutrition. Do not eat crunchy foods like chips or pretzels for six weeks or more.  This can cause you significant pain. 

·         Healing time.  The first 48 hours are going to be the most painful.  After that, you should start to resume normal activity, though you may not feel well.  It can take up to two months before you are eating everything like normal.

We will make sure that you are as comfortable as possible during and after an oral surgery.  At your pre surgery appointment, we will answer any questions that you have and discuss your treatment plan in detail to ensure that you are properly prepared.