When Is Oral Surgery Necessary?

By Pasadena Dental Implants Peter G. Cooper, DDS

January 25, 2017

Tags: oral surgery

While the words “oral surgery” may bring to mind visions of a lengthy procedure under general anesthesia in a hospital, that is, fortunately, not always the case. Some oral surgeries occur right in your periodontist's office and simply require a local anesthetic to numb the work area. But when does oral surgery become necessary? Find out with Dr. Peter Cooper at Pasadena Dental Implants in Pasadena, CA.

What is oral surgery?
The term oral surgery encompasses many surgeries meant to treat injuries, relieve an infection or treat trauma. A common oral surgery performed by your periodontist are tooth extractions, often necessary due to tooth decay or trauma. However, these extractions also include the removal of the wisdom teeth, an extremely common procedure with high success rates.

When is oral surgery necessary?
Oral surgery becomes necessary when a tooth or several teeth begin affecting the patient’s daily life in terms of pain, effectiveness, or daily use. While oral surgery is most often used to extract teeth, it also commonly corrects jaw conditions like TMJ disorder and malocclusions. Surgeries to correct bruxism or teeth clenching and incorrect jaw positioning are also common. Dental implants, which permanently replace a missing tooth, also require oral surgery.

Dental implants
Dental implants offer an innovative way to replace your entire tooth. The implant bonds to your jawbone and takes the place of your natural teeth roots, while a crown added to the top of the implant replaces the part of the tooth that you can see. Adding a bone graft to your jawbone may be necessary if it isn't deep enough to support to the implant.

Wisdom teeth extraction
It never hurts to have another set of molars, but often, there's just not enough room for your wisdom teeth to erupt fully. Even when you do have enough room for the teeth, they may be decayed or damaged when they push through your gums. Removing your wisdom teeth can eliminate your pain, reduce the possibility of nerve damage and prevent the teeth from damaging your other teeth or moving them out of alignment.

For more information on oral surgery, please contact Dr. Peter Cooper at Pasadena Dental Implants in Pasadena, CA. Call (626) 796-1241 to schedule your appointment with Dr. Cooper today!

0 Comment(s) Permalink