What Is Oral Surgery?
Oral surgery refers to a range of more specialized procedures to improve dental health that affect teeth and gums.
When Would I Need Oral Surgery?
Usually, oral surgery is needed if you have a problem that is causing you discomfort or pain or where a condition could negatively impact your oral health. Below are some of the reasons why we may suggest dental surgery.
Infected or Decayed Teeth
When a tooth is severely infected or decayed or if you have a dental abscess, it may be beyond saving.
Wisdom Tooth Problems
Wisdom teeth can cause a range of problems due to insufficient room for them to erupt fully. They can cause pain and discomfort. A cyst may develop around them. The best solution is to remove the problem wisdom teeth.
Gum Infections
Severe gum infections may require osseous or gum surgery, for example, if you have moderate or severe periodontitis. Treatment helps to remove infectious bacteria, enabling your gums to heal more easily afterward.
Impacted Teeth
When teeth are impacted, they are unable to erupt properly. In this case, we must remove them.
While this problem commonly affects wisdom teeth, it can occur on other occasions. For example, the upper canines can become impacted in children and teens.
What Are the Benefits of Oral Surgery?
Oral surgery can provide some significant benefits, including:
- Eliminating or controlling infection.
- Eliminating pain and discomfort.
- Improving oral function.
- Improving appearance.
- Supporting your dental and overall health.
Clock Tower Dental oral surgery procedures include:
Tooth Extractions
If we cannot save an infected, decayed, or abscessed tooth, we can remove it painlessly.
Wisdom Tooth Removal
Our dentists keep a close eye on the development of wisdom teeth, but if we can see they will cause problems or are already causing pain and discomfort, we recommend extracting them.
Impacted Tooth Removal
If you have a child whose teeth and jaws are still growing, we will monitor their development, using digital dental X-rays to identify teeth yet to erupt.
Adult teeth, especially the upper canines, can sometimes become impacted, and oral surgery is needed to expose or remove them.
Osseous/Gum Surgery
Periodontitis is a common issue, and we can provide suitable treatments to eliminate or control bacterial infections in the gums. Treatment aims to help restore gum health and prevent tooth loss.
Preparing for Oral Surgery
We understand the thought of requiring oral surgery may be concerning initially, but we want to reassure you that we will ensure your treatment is as comfortable as possible.
Some treatments are very quick, and we use the latest procedures and technologies to provide better treatment outcomes, such as laser dentistry.
If you feel nervous, please discuss your concerns with us, as we can provide sedation dentistry.
A Brief Overview of the Oral Surgery Process
Your oral surgery is tailored to meet your unique needs so that the exact process may differ slightly from the overview below. You can find more information on each treatment’s web pages.
Pre-surgery Consultation and Preparation
An initial consultation with our dentist will determine if you require oral surgery and, if so, the procedure needed to restore oral health. At this point, we will want to take diagnostic tests.
These tests may include digital dental X-rays, a cone beam CT scan, digital photographs, and digital dental impressions. All of these tests are entirely painless, quick, and non-invasive.
Once we have assessed this information, we can provide your custom treatment plan and discuss it in detail. At this stage, we can also discuss if you require sedation dentistry and, if so, the level of sedation needed to ensure you feel comfortable and relaxed during your treatment.
The Surgical Procedure
The surgical procedure required depends on the treatment you need. Some surgeries are more complex and lengthy. Others may be completed relatively quickly.
We want to stress that you will be fully numbed before we begin any procedure. Your comfort is extremely important to us, and we will check on you regularly during your treatment to see if you need a quick break and ensure you feel okay to continue.
Post-Operative Care
Before you leave our dental office, we will provide detailed information on caring for your mouth after surgery. This will include instructions on how to manage any discomfort. We may prescribe painkillers or antibiotics for use during healing.
We recommend following our instructions closely, as they are designed to help you heal and recover more quickly. If you have any concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Our friendly dental team can answer any questions and address any concerns you may have during healing.
Risks and Considerations
We take extensive precautions to ensure every treatment we provide is safe and appropriate, particularly when performing oral surgery. Before we recommend any treatment, we assess your oral and overall health carefully and, if necessary, can liaise with other healthcare professionals looking after you.
Our dental office has strict infection protocols to reduce the risk of problems, keeping you and our dental team safe.
Even though we take all these precautions, every surgical procedure has a small level of risk. We will discuss all possible risks with you before your treatment, but potential complications can include:
- Nerve damage
- Sinus problems
- Numbness
- Dry socket after tooth extraction
How Much Will Oral Surgery Cost?
The cost depends entirely on the procedure required and its complexity. Other factors influencing cost can include the use of sedation dentistry.
It can also depend on whether you need emergency dental care, for example, if you’ve been searching for an emergency oral surgeon near me for something serious like a dental abscess. Emergency oral surgery can be more expensive since it may need to be done outside office hours.
Will My Dental Insurance Cover the Cost of Oral Surgery?
Since oral surgery is often needed to restore dental health, your dental insurance will likely partially or fully cover the costs. Contact your insurance provider or ask us for further information and advice.
Oral Surgery from a Team That Cares
Our dental oral surgeons are kind, compassionate, and respectful, and we are here to help you. If you have painful wisdom teeth or teeth that are infected, contact us for expert dental care provided in a warm, relaxing environment.