Oral Surgery Specialist

What is oral surgery?

Oral surgery is the area of dentistry that focuses on issues affecting the mouth and some areas of the head and face and which require surgical intervention to treat and correct. Some types of oral surgery include wisdom tooth extraction, bone grafting, dental implant procedures and complex extractions may all require oral surgery techniques. Treatment of deep infections,e specially those affecting the jaw and other bones, may also require oral surgery to correct.

Should I have my wisdom teeth removed?

Generally speaking, having your wisdom teeth removed is a good idea. That's because they're the last set of molars to emerge, and by the time they come in, your mouth is already filled with teeth. As a result, they often come in sideways or become trapped beneath other teeth where they can increase the risk of pain, decay, infection or damage to neighboring molars. They may also cause issues with alignment, including increasing the risk for tempomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) in some patients. Plus, because they're so far back in your jaw, they're very difficult to clean, which means they're much more likely to become decayed and infected.

What is bone grafting?

Bone grafting is a procedure that is often used prior to having a dental implant in an area of the jaw where bone loss has occurred or where there is little bone to begin with. Implants require healthy jaw bone to support the metal post and the implant itself. The grafting procedure uses a small piece of bone, often taken from your palate or from a tissue bank, and places it against the bone in your jaw where supplementation is required. Over time – usually several weeks or a few months – your own bone fuses with the graft.