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Oral Surgery

Oral surgery is specialized dental treatment that aims to improve the appearance, function, and health of your mouth and teeth. Oral surgeons receive three or four years of additional training and education after graduating dental school.

Several dental specialties are trained in oral surgery, including:

  • Endodontics. Endodontists focus primarily on the dental pulp inside the tooth and preserving natural teeth through procedures like root canals.
  • Prosthodontics. Prosthodontists specialize in tooth replacement, using procedures like bone grafting and dental implant placement to help restore the form and function of a person’s mouth.
  • Periodontics. Periodontists are uniquely trained in addressing the causes, symptoms, and consequences of the various stages of gum disease with procedures like gum grafts and dental implants.

Bright Now! Dental offers all of these specialties and more as part of our comprehensive dental care services. With multiple locations, an experienced staff of providers, and state-of-the-art offices, Bright Now! Dental makes it easy and convenient to receive the oral surgery you need for a healthy smile that lasts a lifetime.

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What are the reasons you may need oral surgery?

Oral surgery is necessary for conditions or injuries that extend beyond the expertise of a general dentist.

While general dentists are trained and equipped to treat a wide array of dental needs, there are some situations that simply need more specialized training and expertise.

  • Dry or healing tooth socket. If a tooth has been removed and the empty socket needs additional procedures to help heal properly, your dentist may suture a tooth socket closed that is having trouble healing.  
  • Injury to tooth nerve endings. If you’ve suffered an oral injury to the extent that your teeth’s nerve endings are exposed or damaged, you may need a dentist to move or remove loose or damaged nerve endings to alleviate chronic pain and discomfort.
  • Damage to past dental work. If you’ve received dental work like a crown, a filling, or a veneer in the past, and you’ve suffered a traumatic dental injury, you may need a dentist to surgically replace or repair any damage caused to the restorations.
  • Traumatic dental injury. If you’ve ever suffered an impact on the jawbone during athletic activity, you know the pain and suffering these injuries can cause. Your dentist can perform surgery on the affected areas if the damage is extensive enough to warrant surgery.
  • Treating an abnormal bite or overcrowding. Braces are typically used to treat cases of abnormal bites or malocclusion. However, some severe cases may warrant surgery prior to orthodontic treatment to help ensure the braces can be successful.
  • Abscesses and other infections. If you’ve developed an abscess on your tooth root, the only way to treat the infection is for a dentist to surgically remove and clean the infected tooth root.

What are the common types of oral surgery?

Oral surgery is used to treat a wide range of oral conditions, from removing dead or decaying teeth to restoring the facial structure.

Some common oral surgeries are:

  • Surgical tooth extractions, such as heavily damaged or decayed teeth, wisdom teeth removal, or in preparation for prosthetic devices
  • Gum grafts, to treat the effects of gum disease
  • Facial reconstruction after an injury
  • Dental implants, tiny metal screws and artificial teeth that are implanted into the jawbone to replace missing teeth and preserve facial structure
  • Root canals and apicoectomies, which treat infected tooth roots and dental pulp
  • Corrective jaw surgery, to treat skeletal abnormalities in the jaw and address complications like TMJ
  • Sleep apnea treatment to restructure the palate, jaw, and upper airway and encourage better breathing
  • Surgery to repair congenital defects like cleft palate or cleft lip
  • Bone grafts, to treat bone loss or deterioration in the jaw or prepare it for other procedures like dental implants

What happens during oral surgery?

Evaluation and treatment plan

Before your oral surgery is even scheduled, the oral surgeon (or specialist performing the surgery) will take dental x-rays and scans to evaluate the structure of your mouth and jaw, including the nerves, jawbone, and tooth roots. They will also do a thorough exam of your mouth to assess your oral health and condition. With this information, they will develop a treatment plan.

Procedure prep and sedation

Oral surgery typically requires some kind of sedation, although many procedures can be performed right in your dentist’s office. Depending on the type and extent of the oral surgery, you may be given oral medications, nitrous oxide (laughing gas), intravenous moderate or deep sedation, or a combination of several types. If your oral surgery is performed in a hospital setting, you may receive general anesthesia.

Recovery

Once the procedure is complete, you will be allowed to recover for a short time in the office to make sure there have been no complications. You or a loved one will also be given post-operative instructions that detail how to care for your mouth and help it heal safely, quickly, and effectively. If you have received any sedation other than nitrous oxide, you will likely need someone to drive you home. You will also have follow-up appointments to make sure everything is healing properly.

Trust Bright Now! Dental for Your Oral Surgery

When it comes to your oral health, you deserve a dental care provider you can trust. At Bright Now! Dental, you can be confident that your oral surgery procedure will be performed by professional, experienced, and compassionate doctors using the latest in technology and minimally invasive procedures. Your long-term dental health is our highest priority, and we always work hard to make getting the care you need easy, convenient, and affordable.

Schedule an oral surgery consultation today at the Bright Now! Dental location nearest you and help protect your health for years to come.