Oral surgical procedures, whether dental, endodontic or periodontic are routinely done to help patients receive the care they need. One of the most common procedures for patients between 16-24 years old is wisdom tooth removal. For this and other oral treatments, pain management will be used to keep the patient comfortable while minimizing long-term side effects.

There are times when a permanent adult tooth may need to be pulled whether it’s due to a severely decayed tooth, infected tooth pulp, severe gum disease or to make room for braces (to prevent overcrowding). A tooth might also be extracted if someone is going to have an organ transplant or chemotherapy/radiation.

Crown lengthening is a common procedure done under local anesthesia to remove or reshape gum tissue, bone (or both) to expose more of the remaining tooth or teeth. It can be performed on one or more teeth on the gum line. This treatment is often recommended if you have a “gummy smile” where your teeth look shorter because of excess gum tissue covering your teeth. Once this excess gum tissue is removed, your tooth structure will look like a normal tooth.

What happens when facial trauma from winter sports and snow accidents lead to facial and maxillary trauma to the hard parts (bones and teeth) and soft tissue (skin and gums) of your body? Whether you are injured from snowmobiling, skiing or snowboarding, or have an accidental fall on the ice while carrying groceries, you might incur severe maxillofacial trauma that requires professional help.

Periodontal (gum) disease is the number one cause of bone loss in the mouth. If you are experiencing gum disease, you can have chronic bacterial infections that impact your gum tissue as well as the supportive bone material underneath. Once plaque (the sticky bacterial film in the mouth) reaches beneath the gum line, it creates toxins which inflame the gums as the body responds. When this happens, eventually the gum tissue and the bone material that support your teeth will deteriorate, especially once gum pockets are formed and the gums recede from the teeth.

If your dentist or orthodontist has suggested to you that you might benefit from jaw surgery, you are not alone. Misalignment of the jaw can range from mild to severe, and sometimes orthognathic surgery may be needed. While your orthodontist can correct bite problems involving your teeth, surgery may be needed when the jaws need to be repositioned.

If you have ever lost a tooth, you might have more than just a gap between your teeth. If a lost tooth is not replaced, the bone in the jaw that supported the lost tooth starts to deteriorate. That’s because when you chew your food, there’s no more stimulation to the bone from the missing tooth’s chewing action. Over time, the gaps in your mouth change as the surrounding teeth shift into the empty space, causing your bite alignment to shift with it. When this happens, missing teeth can not only affect how you look but can cause problems when you chew and even when you speak.

If you find yourself experiencing TMJ symptoms that are mild and infrequent, they may go away on their own. This sometimes can take weeks or months depending on what you do to help your jaw find relief. Of course, this is a good time to alleviate symptoms by temporarily sticking to a soft food or blended diet instead of trying to chew hard crunchy or chewy foods. Smoothies, shakes, mashed potatoes, macaroni, are all foods that don’t require intensive chewing (this also means staying away from chewing gum).

How can I prepare for oral surgery? Make sure you have a comfortable recovery place set up at home. Having extra pillows can help you rest more comfortably, and having something to do while you rest can also keep your spirits up. Books, magazines, access to television or a smartphone can all help you pass the time more comfortably. DO NOT SMOKE while you are in recovery, as this can cause problems with the surgery site.

If you’re interested in replacing your missing teeth, then you should consider doing so with dental implants. Dental implants can help you, your smile and your oral health in many ways. To help you understand, our dentist, Dr. Park Avenue Oral Surgery, is happy to tell you all about the benefits dental implants can provide. Those benefits are:

There are dentists and patients that believe the wisdom teeth should be removed early in order to avoid the common problems of crowding and impacted molars that occur around the time that kids get their braces. While this belief has been gaining popularity, others feel that we should allow nature to take its course. Below are a few things to consider when pondering whether to get your wisdom teeth taken out.

Does your jaw feel weak or like it is missing bone? If so, you could be need a bone graft. A bone graft is a useful procedure that can help your jaw in many ways. In fact, many people find a bone grafting procedure helpful when they do not have enough bone to support a dental implant.