What is Oral Surgery?
Oral surgery refers to the surgical treatment of diseases, injuries, and defects of the hard and soft tissues of the face, mouth, teeth, and jaw.
There are many reasons you may need to have oral surgery, including extensive tooth damage or decay, advanced periodontal (gum) disease and jawbone deterioration. These dental conditions will not improve on their own and are often too advanced for non-invasive treatments.
We want you to feel comfortable making the decision to undergo oral surgery. Rest assured that we will work collaboratively with you to achieve the best possible outcome. We will take the time to listen to your concerns, answer your questions, and thoroughly explain your treatment plan.
Dental Implants
A dental implant is a small titanium screw that gets surgically inserted into your jawbone to function as the root for a tooth replacement. A dental implant, together with a crown or bridge, will look and feel very similar to natural teeth.
Tooth Extractions
While it is always preferable to save a natural tooth, there are some cases where it's just not feasible. If a tooth is too badly damaged as a result of decay, gum disease, or injury, your dentist may have to remove it in order to relieve pain or discomfort and restore your oral health.
Wisdom Tooth Removal
Wisdom teeth are the last set of molars to erupt in the back corners of your mouth. Typically, they come through when you are between the ages of 17 to 25. While they can emerge without causing issues, sometimes they do not have enough room to erupt properly, which can cause problems with tooth alignment and oral hygiene.
Bone Grafts
Bone grafts are used to strengthen a weak jawbone by adding additional material. Typically, this material is bone from elsewhere in your body but sometimes synthetic material is used. Bone grafts are often performed prior to another restorative treatment, like a dental implant, to reinforce your existing bone.
Sinus Lifts
A sinus lift is a type of bone graft where your dentist adds material to the back portion of your upper jaw to increase the amount of bone in that area. This is done to strengthen the sinus area, typically in preparation for dental implants.
Frenectomy
A frenectomy is when your dentist eliminates your frenum, which is the small piece of tissue that connects your cheeks, tongue, or lips to your gums. This procedure is performed to increase the range of motion of the mouth or tongue.