If you have questions about any of our treatment options, please give our staff a call to schedule an appointment so we review your specific treatment options in more detail.
Specialized Techniques
Wisdom Tooth Removal (3rd Molars)
A wisdom tooth that is deemed problematic is normally extracted to avoid any oral complications. To have a wisdom tooth removed, a small incision is made to open up the gum tissue over the tooth and remove any bone that is covering the tooth. Once the tooth is in view, it is grasped with a dental instrument, known as a forcep, and gently rocked back and forth to loosen it from the jaw bone and surrounding ligaments. Sometimes the tooth may need to be cut into smaller pieces to make it easier for removal. Stitches may be necessary after the removal of a wisdom tooth.
Extractions
A tooth that can not be saved with restorative materials may need to be removed. Reasons for extractions include advanced tooth decay, overcrowding, gum disease, or oral trauma.
Bone Grafting
Bone grafting is the replacement or enhancement of bone around teeth. When a tooth is lost, the surrounding bone collapses. Bone grafting is performed to reverse bone loss or enhance existing bone. The grafting material can be taken from parts of the body or from synthetic material. Bone grafting allows for proper support of dental implants or prostheses.
Impacted Tooth & Tooth Exposure
An impacted tooth is a tooth that fails to fully pass through the gums.
Impacted wisdom and cuspid (or canine) teeth are fairly common. To correct impacted teeth, there are a few treatment options. For impacted wisdom teeth, the most common procedure is extraction. For impacted canine teeth, several treatment modalities are available. Orthodontics (braces) can be used to open space for proper eruption. Primary (baby) teeth can either be extracted or surgically exposed to allow for the placement of an orthodontic bracket to help align the teeth.
Sinus Lift
A sinus lift is a surgery that adds bone to your upper jaw in the premolar and molar areas of your mouth. To add bone, an incision is made where the premolar and molar teeth were previously located. Once the bone is exposed, a small circular shape is made in the bone to access the sinus. Once the sinus is accessed, the sinus membrane is gently pushed up and away from the upper jaw. Once this is done, bone graft material is placed into the sinus space to change the shape and provide support. Once the bone is in place, the incision is closed and the healing process begins.
Dentoalveolar Surgery
The term dentoalveolar refers to the teeth and the alveolar bone that supports the teeth. Surgery involving the dentoalveolar area is the basis for much of oral and maxillofacial surgery. Often, a combination of procedures requiring extraction, modification to the bone, and/or modification of the gum tissue surrounding the surgical site are included in a dentoalveolar surgery.
Dentoalveolar procedures may include a combination of the following:
- Partial or full tooth extraction
- Removal of bone material
- Reshaping of bone material
- Soft tissue removal
- Soft tissue repair
Pre-Prosthetic Surgery
There are certain clinical circumstances in which oral surgery procedures will be necessary to help prepare for or facilitate the prosthetic phase of patient treatment. These procedures may include either hard or soft tissue surgery, or even a combination of the two.
Because a denture rests on the jaw bone, it is important to match the shape and size to a new prosthesis. For a comfortable fit, bone may need to be smoothed, reshaped or removed before other dental procedures.