When you have a complex oral health issue, such as wisdom teeth poised to erupt, or weakened jawbones that need grafting, then you need oral surgery. Our team takes time to plan the treatment and ensure a positive experience in the office. In today’s blog, your Newport Beach, CA, dentist talks about our approach to oral surgery.
Planning Your Oral Surgery
Our team offers oral surgery to address complex issues that threaten the health and stability of your smile. You may be referred to us by your general dentist or orthodontist, or you could contact us directly if you encounter serious oral health problems. We begin by examining your smile to assess the cause and extent of your issue, so we can plan treatment with precision and accuracy. We employ detailed digital imagery, including digital x-rays, as part of this process.
Ensuring Your Comfort
We know that the idea of oral surgery can lead to anxiety, but we take steps to ensure our patients feel comfortable and relaxed, even if they have anxiety or special needs that make undergoing care difficult. In addition to a local anesthesia to the area being treated, our team can also administer dental sedation. We have nitrous oxide, oral sedation, and IV sedation. The option we choose will depend on multiple factors, such as weight, age, medical history, and anxiety levels. You will enter a deep state of calm with little to no memory of the procedure, and you may need to have a friend or family ready to take you home, as the effects may take time to wear off completely.
Jawbone Grafting
Jawbone grafting is used to strengthen the parts of your smile that weaken following tooth loss. When we lose material teeth, the body will respond by suspending the flow of calcium and phosphates to the area around the lost roots. The jaw loses mass and density, which means you risk additional tooth loss, and aged appearance, and an inability to support dental implants. However, grafting enables us to take bone tissue from your jaw, hip, or knee, or from synthetic sources, to essentially rebuild the weakened portions, so your smile can support dental implants and you preserve your youthful facial features. Grafting occurs in the lower jaw, but for the upper jaw we could discuss a sinus lift to uncover new tissues to support dental implants if necessary.
Tooth Extraction
A tooth extraction is an oral surgery procedure that involves gently and carefully removing a tooth from your smile. We could prescribe this if you have one too damaged, decayed, or infected to be treated with a restoration, as leaving it in place could threaten the rest of your smile. We also extract teeth to prevent wisdom tooth impaction, aid in orthodontic treatment, or to address teeth loosened by gum disease. We plan the procedure carefully so we can remove teeth and avoid sensitive nerve tissues, blood vessels, or sinus cavities. The entire process could take as little as 30 minutes to complete.
Gum Grafting
If you have a more advanced case of gum disease, your gums could begin to recede. When they do, this uncovers sensitive root structure, which increases the risk of tooth decay and infection. Not to mention that recession means you’re approaching the advanced stage of the disease, one linked to tooth loss. But with oral surgery, we can place gum grafts. We can take tissues from other parts of your smile and cover these exposed roots to protect your smile. We can then discuss preventive treatments to manage the disease and keep your smile healthy and beautiful.
Dental Implants
If you have missing teeth, then our team could secure replacement with dental implants. These are inserted into the jaw and act as new roots, which keeps your jaw strong and prevents further tooth loss and an aged appearance. We can address a single missing tooth, or place several to support a bridge or even a fixed denture. We want to make sure you maintain a full and functional smile, and we take time to ensure your new teeth are capped with crowns or prosthetics that look natural too.
If you have any questions about our approach to oral surgery, or if you need to schedule a consultation to start the treatment process, then contact our team today to learn more.
Talk To Your Newport Beach, CA Dentist About Oral Surgery
We would like to help you avoid major complications and enjoy good oral health. To find out more about addressing your complex oral health concerns, please contact your Newport Beach, CA dentist’s office at (949) 630-0143.
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