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Oral surgery can sound frightening. The idea of someone cutting, drilling, or performing any type of operating into the gum line or teeth is enough to make anyone cringe. Oral surgery can be an essential part of keeping teeth and gums healthy or even providing lasting results to those with missing teeth. Most dental offices that offer oral surgery provide two very different procedures, dental implants, and extractions. Plus, it will improve your smile and you can make your teeth feel good with cosmetic dentistry.
Both dental implants and extractions are surgical procedures that will significantly impact the patient’s life. With removals, typically, the patient is having excessive pain or other complications because of a tooth. On the other hand, dental implants add teeth, fill the gap in a smile, and can restore a patient’s confidence. In this article, we’ll go over both of these fantastic oral surgery procedures. We’ll go over why they are used and a brief explanation of what to expect.
Extractions
The most common type of surgical extraction is the removal of the 3rd set of molars or wisdom teeth as they are more commonly known. Most patients get wisdom teeth cut out because they are causing discomfort. Sometimes your dentist will recommend removing them if there isn’t enough room for them to come in, and the wisdom teeth will cause alignment problems. Other teeth can be surgically cut out if it was unable to pull the tooth during a regular extraction, or for teeth that have broken off down to the gum line.
Even if wisdom teeth aren’t causing pain, they can damage other teeth. During an extraction, your dentist will administer an anesthetic so that you won’t feel anything; you’ll be asleep. An incision is made into the gum to gain access to the teeth. The teeth are then pulled out, and the incision is sewed together.
With any surgery, there are risks. The biggest with extractions is infection. However, the chances of infection can be drastically reduced by following your dentist’s recommendations for aftercare. Keeping the area clean will be the best thing you can do to prevent any infections or complications.
Dental Implants
While extractions remove teeth, the purpose of dental implants is to restore smiles. Dental implants, not to be confused, are only the posts inserted into the jaw bone which support the restoration. The restoration will be what you see and will look like your natural teeth. Dental implants have become one of the leading oral surgery procedures used in dental offices today.
For those with dentures, dental implants are a massive upgrade. Implants provide the support needed for better functionality. Most patients have a better bite, in addition to feeling confident their restorations aren’t going to fall out.
With implants, your dentist will need to drill into the bone. This allows them to place the implant. Having a skilled oral surgeon is critical to dental implants. The placement is everything and, if done poorly, can cause the implant to walk out, or not be inserted crooked. Like extraction, the most common complication is infection. Following your dentist’s instructions is critical.
Conclusion:
Surgery, no matter if it is with internal medicine or oral surgery, has its fair share of risks. The largest is always being infected. Following oral surgery, you should always listen to your dentist’s instructions for aftercare. Take any medication prescribed and keep areas clean. Following oral surgery ever, it is strongly advised not to smoke. Smoking can cause a dry socket, an excruciating condition.
Not every dentist can perform oral surgery. Before choosing a dentist for these procedures, make sure they have the proper training. The quality of your dentist will directly determine the outcome of your surgical procedure.