Oral Surgery Procedures

There are certain conditions where a person without teeth cannot receive dental implants due to the absence of suitable bone material to place the implant. Bone naturally decreases in strength over time but there is a procedure available that effectively grows it. Dental implants don’t work unless there is sufficient bone density to access.

Major Bone Grafting

Grafting can effectively heal an area that was damaged by injury, gum disease, or normal decay. Without a strong place to install the dental implant in the jawline, there is no way to permanently replace your teeth. Bone grafting utilizes bone from your jaw, hip, or tissue bank. Cadaveric bone, taken from a tissue bank, has the highest success rate and has provided an alternative to grafting a patient’s own bone.

The cadaveric bone that is available at tissue banks have to undergo a thorough screening process for infections, ensuring that the bone augmentation process is completely sterile. As far as the history of cadaveric bone grafting goes, there has not been a single case of transmissible disease resulting from the procedure.

Bone Regeneration and Minor Grafting

Bone regeneration after grafting is ensured by the additional utilization of specialized membrane that encourages growth of bone. Serious bone grafting procedures are reserved for in depth repairs of defects in the jaw. If you have undergone surgery for the removal of a tumor, damage resulting from an injury, or congenital defects, you would benefit from a major grafting procedure.

During treatment you will need to stay in the hospital for a few nights to ensure the implant placement is successfully integrated with your jawline. Cadaveric bone grafting is performed during a tooth extraction in order to prevent atrophy of the jawbone. Atrophy also can result in wrinkling of the face if bone loss is drastic enough.

If a tooth is extracted and there is no bone grafting performed, there is a chance of up to 30% loss of bone mass in the upper jaw. Patients who opt for this procedure are astonished at the restoration of close to natural teeth that allow them to eat, smile, and speak with ease.

In some cases, it may be necessary to remove the infected root tips or apex and the nearby tissue. This is known as a apical surgery or an apicoectomy. The area around the apex of the tooth that is infected is cleaned, and the tip of the root is resected and sealed. Sutures are placed and an ice pack is applied. Medication is prescribed to help alleviate any pain or discomfort and it is best to plan to rest for the remainder of the day. Most patients will have some minor swelling and occasional bruising with some numbness.

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.

A frenectomy is a simple surgical procedure performed to release the connection of the “frenum,” a connective muscle between two tissues. There are two types of oral frenectomies that are frequently performed on both adults and children for a variety of reasons.

A Labial Frenectomy is performed on the tissue that connects the lip to the gums. This may be performed on children or adults to aid with orthodontic treatment or even help with the proper fitting for a denture or appliance.

A Lingual Frenectomy may also be referred to as the release of tongue-ties (ankyloglossia). This procedure is performed on the connective tissue under the tongue. The procedure is often performed on neonatal patients to assist with nursing or on toddlers or older patients who need the surgery to help correct speech issues caused by limited movement due the the frenum.

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.

The smooth, pink skin lining the mouth is called mucosa. Abnormalities in the color or texture of this skin can sometimes indicate pathology. Any concerns with the skin in the mouth, a sore that is not healing properly or a lump on the inside of the cheeks, palate, gums or lips, may merit a biopsy so that the tissue sample can be tested for oral cancer. Please do not ignore these warning signs and be sure to mention any concerns you may have during your visit.

NITROUS OXIDE

Nitrous oxide, sometimes referred to as “laughing gas,” is an effective and safe sedation agent that is inhaled through a mask that fits over your nose to help you relax. Mixed with oxygen, Nitrous oxide allows you to breathe normally through your nose and within minutes you should start to feel the effects. You may feel light-headed or a tingling in your arms and legs. Some patient’s comment that their legs and arms feel heavy. Ultimately, you should feel comfortable and calm. The effects of nitrous oxide wear off quickly after the small mask is removed. Talk to the doctor about whether nitrous oxide would be a good option for you.

IV SEDATION

There is extensive monitoring utilized by our trained staff to ensure the patient’s safety is our priority.

IV sedation is an alternative sedation that allows patients to be relaxed during procedures. Your doctor will combine the use of IV sedation along with a local anesthetic so you have little to no discomfort.

For IV Sedation, your vital signs such as blood pressure and heart rate are continuously monitored by our trained staff. Patients should plan to have someone bring them to the appointment and be available to drive them home following treatment.