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Oral Surgery Q & A

What does oral surgery refer to?

Oral surgery includes all surgical procedures performed on your gums, teeth, jaws, or other oral tissues. The dental professionals who perform these procedures have advanced training and experience in all aspects of oral surgery.

While the thought of oral surgery can provoke stress, these procedures are more common than you might think. More importantly, the results achieved through oral surgery can bring significant relief from pain or other disruptive symptoms.

 

What are some examples of oral surgery procedures?

There are many different types of oral surgery. While you won’t likely need many of these procedures throughout the course of your life, it’s possible you may need one or two. 

 

Extractions

Removing a tooth from its socket might be done to address advanced decay, to make room for orthodontic treatment, or in preparation for a dental implant or dentures. Wisdom tooth extraction is sometimes necessary, especially if crowding is a concern. 

 

Dental implants

Dental implants are permanent tooth replacements that anchor within your jawbone. Once complete, dental implants are virtually indistinguishable from your natural teeth.

 

Periodontal surgery

If you have advanced gum disease, periodontal surgery offers the chance to improve your gum health. Some procedures temporarily lift your gums off the surface of your teeth while your dentist carefully removes all plaque and bacteria. Gum contouring improves the aesthetic appeal of your gum line, and gum grafting helps build up your gum tissue. 

These are just some of the ways that oral surgery can restore or enhance your oral health. 

 

How can I speed up my recovery after oral surgery?

Fortunately, oral tissues are among your body's fastest healing tissue types. When you have oral surgery, your overall healing time is often shorter than other surgical procedures.

When you have any procedure that breaks the barrier between the environment in your mouth and your bloodstream, you need to prevent bacteria from entering your bloodstream for proper healing.

Follow the instructions provided by your dentist to reduce the risk of infection and other postsurgical complications. Fill any antibiotics or pain medication prescriptions as soon as possible, and take all antibiotics as prescribed.

Call Dr. David’s Family Dentistry and Orthodontics today to learn more about oral surgery. Online scheduling is also available any time of day or night.