Downtown Dental Excellence offers Oral Surgery Services in Cleveland, TX

When people hear the word “surgery,” they often think of intensive—even life or death—procedures. In reality, “surgery” is simply any procedure that involves the cutting away of tissue in the body. Because of this, surgery can either be a major procedure that involves a body being opened to treat an organ, or a minor procedure—such as wisdom teeth removal.

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Dentist holding up xrays

What is Oral Surgery?

As surgery is cutting away of tissue in the body, oral surgery is simply any surgery that is performed in the mouth. While many of these procedures are relatively simple, they do require a dentist that specializes in oral surgery, and is capable of performing the surgical procedure that is necessary for your oral health.

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What are some Oral Surgery Procedures?

Oral surgery is not just one thing. Instead, there are a variety of different procedures that fall under the umbrella of this term. Below are some of the different surgical procedures that are categorized as “oral surgery”:

Dental Implants

Dental implants are a common dental procedure, and are used to fill in the gap where a tooth is missing. This is done by installing a titanium rod into the jawbone, which is then attached to a false tooth with an abutment. This procedure is only possible if the jawbone is strong enough to support the implant. If it is not, other options—such as a dental bridge—will need to be considered.

Tooth replacement is extremely important. If a patient goes too long with a gap caused by a missing tooth, they open themselves up to a variety of different oral health risks. These include:

  • Tooth Decay
  • Gum Disease
  • Tooth Migration
  • Bone Loss in the Jaw

If you are missing a tooth or teeth, speak with your dentist about different replacement options—such as dental implants.

Dental Bone Grafting

If the jawbone of a patient is not strong enough to handle an implant being placed, bone grafting may be an option to resolve the issue. Bone grafting involves removing bone from one area of the body, and adding it to another area. Sometimes a special bone grafting material can be used instead of natural bone. If the bone graft is minor, it can be done during the same procedure in which the implants are added.

While in many cases bone grafting is unnecessary for tooth implants, there are still cases in which it is. Your dentist will decide if the structure of your jawbone is able to handle an implant and—if it isn’t—if a bone graft is possible.

Wisdom Tooth Extraction

While wisdom teeth aren’t always a major oral health concern, they can become one. Because of this, many dentists opt to remove wisdom teeth before they become a problem. Some of the issues that wisdom teeth may cause include:

  • Infections that affect the gums.
  • Tooth migration.
  • Impacting of—and damage to—healthy teeth.
  • The inability to care for oral hygiene properly, leading to tooth decay.

Wisdom teeth generally come in between the ages of 17 and 25. Once they begin to form, your dentist can decide whether or not they want to remove them. Often, this extraction process will involve cutting the gums to reach the wisdom teeth. This is done when the wisdom teeth are below the gum line.

This process is more in-depth than a standard extraction, and it can be painful. Because of this, IV sedation or general anesthesia will likely be used for the comfort of the patient.

Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery

Maxillofacial and oral surgery refers to most surgical procedures necessary to help with issues involving the jaw, mouth, neck and overall facial structure. This may include rebuilding the face, including the teeth, nose, jaw and more. Many of these surgeries are considered “emergency” procedures, as they are caused by different forms of trauma (sports injuries, falls, car accidents, etc.).

Generally these surgeries are not provided by dentists—even though teeth and the mouth overall are involved. Still, some dental offices have an oral and maxillofacial surgeon on staff.

Sinus Lifts

Sinus lifts are procedures that involve bone grafting in the upper jaw, generally to create space for dental implants.

Costs of Oral Surgery Procedures

The price of different procedures involving oral surgery depends on a variety of factors, including: the procedure itself, the dentist, the location you are in and more. Another factor to consider is dental insurance. While most insurance plans will not cover the entirety of a procedure, many will cover at least a portion of an oral surgery. Check your insurance plan to see if the procedure that you need to undergo is covered. If you have any questions, speak with your insurance company.

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Is Oral Surgery Necessary?

There are some people that are worried about undergoing any form of surgery—whether it be major or minor. While there are sometimes different options available for treatment or various oral health issues, there are other scenarios in which oral surgery is necessary. When this is the case, don’t worry! Most procedures are routine, and your dentist will have had plenty of experience with the procedure in which you need to undergo.

Still, if you are worried about the procedure, speak with your dentist. They may have more information about the procedure that they can provide to ease any fear or trepidation that you may still have.

Oral surgery is often very minor, and can be completed easily. Even more in-depth surgical procedures—such as dental implants—are pretty routine. This means your dentist has had plenty of practice, and can perform the oral surgery without any issues.

If you have wisdom teeth that need to be extracted, a tooth that needs to be replaced or any other issues involving your oral health that require oral surgery, speak with your dentist. They will schedule an appointment for the procedure with you, and walk you through what the procedure involves. They can also answer any questions.
Oral surgeries are nothing to worry about, and you can trust your dentist to take good care of you during and after your procedure.