Quick Glance Key Takeaways
- Oral surgery is used to treat complex teeth, gum, and jaw problems.
- Wisdom teeth, infections, and broken teeth can cause these problems.
- A dental exam will determine whether or not surgery is necessary.
- Many procedures can be done under local anaesthesia.
- Good aftercare will help you recover faster and more safely.
Routine care can treat some dental problems, while others require a more advanced approach to treatment. You can depend on a dental clinic in Jamaica Estates to examine you properly and help determine whether a filling, root canal, crown, or other treatment will suffice. Usually, oral surgery is recommended when there is a problem with the teeth, gums, jawbone, or surrounding tissues that cannot be treated effectively by usual dental methods.
The first step in understanding your treatment is to understand why your doctor is recommending surgery. Patients should be encouraged to ask questions before the procedure starts about why the procedure is being done, what other options might be available, what the recovery will be like, and what the aftercare will involve.
What is Oral Surgery
Oral Surgery is a surgical procedure involving the Teeth, Gums, Jawbone and surrounding tissues of the mouth. One common example is the removal of teeth, but the field includes much more than extractions.
Some procedures involve non-restorable teeth. Some are used to prepare the mouth for dental implants, treat impacted teeth, treat certain infections and abnormalities, or treat problems with bone. Oral surgery is performed to address a specific dental problem when a less invasive procedure is unlikely to achieve a satisfactory outcome.
When You May Require Oral Surgery
If a dental condition cannot be treated with basic restorative care, a trip to the oral surgeon may be necessary. These can range from impacted teeth, severely damaged teeth, certain types of infections, placement of a dental implant, bone grafting, or any other condition affecting the mouth and jaw. The procedure of oral surgery in Jamaica Estates varies depending on the diagnosis. Extracting a badly broken tooth is a long way from exposing an impacted canine or preparing bone for an implant.
Dental imaging is important because it shows structures that are not completely visible above the gum line. This enables the dental team to look at tooth roots, bone levels, impacted teeth, and the position of teeth in relation to other structures. So the decision to recommend surgery must be based on the individual dental examination and not on symptoms alone. Impacted teeth are not just wisdom teeth. Sometimes the permanent teeth, including the canine, become embedded in the gum or bone and do not erupt into their normal position. This can be due to lack of space, crowding, abnormal tooth development, or the position of adjacent teeth.
Treatment depends on the location of the impacted tooth and whether it can be moved into position. Sometimes an orthodontist and an oral surgeon work together. A hidden tooth can be uncovered with a simple procedure, and then orthodontic treatment can gently guide it into position. Sometimes it can be pulled out. The detailed imagery helps the dental team identify the impacted tooth and assess whether adjacent roots or other structures could affect treatment planning.
Dental Implants and Bone Support
Dental implants are a way to replace missing teeth. Implant treatment is the surgical placement of an artificial tooth root into the bone of the jaw. At this point, treatment will start with the dentist checking that there is enough healthy bone to support the implant.
After removal of a tooth, there can be a loss of bone volume over a long period of time. Other dental conditions, such as gum disease, previous infections, trauma, and other factors, can also affect the amount of available bone.
If you don’t have a lot of bone support, we may discuss bone grafting. It is a process that is used to promote or preserve bone in an area where future treatment may require additional support. Not all patients are candidates for grafting; not all patients are candidates for implants. They may also need to take your medical history, the health of your gums, the condition of your bones, your smoking habits, your medications, and other factors into account.
When Dental Infections Go Bad
Most dental infections begin with decay, cracks, gum disease, or bacteria entering the tooth. Getting treated early may help stop the infection from getting harder to treat. Root canal treatment and other remedies can save some infected teeth. Sometimes the tooth is too damaged or the infection too widespread to be reliably restored. Then extraction of the infected tooth may be necessary to control the source of infection.
Don’t ignore dental infections and wait for the pain to go away. Sometimes an infection may actually go away, but the symptoms get better for a while.
Getting dental advice early can help to identify what’s causing the problem and cut the chances of a small problem becoming more complex.
Choosing the Optimal Next Step
Oral surgery is done for things like impacted teeth, severely damaged teeth, some infections, missing teeth, and conditions of the jaw or gums. The first step of the process requires you to know exactly what causes the problem. A thorough dental exam, plus appropriate imaging, can help guide the treatment decision based on the patient’s real condition, not symptoms or assumptions.
Iconic Smiles Dental Boutique specializes in dental services for patients looking for professional advice on ongoing pain, damaged teeth, surgical treatment, or other oral health issues. “This allows the team to assess the condition, discuss appropriate treatment options, and help patients feel more confident in making a decision on what the next step is.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Do I need to have my wisdom teeth removed?
Answer: No. If your wisdom teeth are healthy, in the right position, and easy to clean, you may simply need to have them checked regularly. Removal may be advised if they become impacted, repeatedly infected, painful, difficult to maintain, or start to cause problems for neighboring teeth.
Question: Do I need to get my wisdom teeth pulled?
Answer: No. If your wisdom teeth are healthy, positioned correctly, and easy to clean, you may only need to have them checked regularly. They may need to be removed if they are impacted, infected repeatedly, painful, difficult to keep clean, or begin to cause problems for neighboring teeth.
Question: How long does it take to recover from oral surgery?
Answer: This will depend on the procedure, its complexity, and the patient’s general health. An extraction of an impacted tooth, implant, or bone graft can be as simple as an extraction. Your dentist should be able to tell you how long before you recover.
Question: What can I eat after oral surgery?
Answer: Most procedures recommend a soft diet during the early recovery. Avoid hard, crunchy, very hot, or spicy foods for a while. Patients are encouraged to follow the dietary advice given by their dental professionals.
Question: What do I need to ask before agreeing to oral surgery?
Answer: Ask why the surgery is being recommended, what the alternatives are, what type of anesthetic or sedation will be used, what the recovery will entail, and what risks to consider. It can also help to know what kind of follow-up care you can expect to receive before you begin treatment.