Dental surgery is the surgery of teeth and jaw bones performed through various medical procedures. Soft tissue surgery treats a number of conditions typically related to gums and teeth and performed to improve your oral health.
- Tooth extraction is usually performed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon and involves the removal of one or more teeth.
- Various situations and dental issues can lead to tooth extraction, including injury beyond repair, damage by decay, loose tooth as a result of periodontal disease, lack of space for orthodontic treatment, etc.
- Tooth extraction is done in an oral and facial surgery office, using appropriate anesthetic.
Apicoectomy
- This procedure is performed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon and involves the removal of the infected part of the tooth’s root to clean the infection from the tooth and surrounding area.
- The root is sealed to avoid further infection and a bone graft might be recommended to help healing.
- Apicoectomy is performed in an oral and facial surgery office, using appropriate anesthetic.
Exposure of Impacted Teeth
- This is a surgical procedure performed to expose and bracket an impacted tooth and bring it into the correct position, whether it’s a wisdom tooth or a canine tooth.
- The impacted tooth is first fitted with braces by an orthodontist and when the time is right, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon surgically exposes the impacted tooth and positions a special brace that the orthodontist will attach to your braces to reposition the tooth.
- The surgical exposure of impacted tooth is performed in an oral and facial surgery office, using appropriate anesthetic.
Frenectomy
- Frenectomy is a minor surgery performed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon to restore proper function to the tongue and lips by cutting or completely removing ‘frenum’ – a small fold of tissue in your mouth that can restrict the motion under the tongue, inside the upper or lower lip, and between the gum and the cheek.
- The procedure takes between 10-15 minutes and the surgeon uses a scalpel, electrocautery or a laser.
- Frenectomy is performed in an oral and facial surgery office, using appropriate anesthetic.
Dental Hemisection and Root Amputation
- This is a procedure performed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon to save a tooth that was previously infected.
- Hemisection or root amputation is usually suggested when one root of the infected tooth is intact. The tooth is kept in place and the site is allowed to heal until an implant can be placed. Through hemisection one-half of the tooth is removed, through root amputation one root of a multi-rooted tooth is removed.
- Dental hemisection and root amputation are done in an oral and facial surgery office, using appropriate anesthetic.
Trigeminal Nerve Repair
- This can be a surgical or non-surgical treatment performed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon to manage injuries of the trigeminal nerve which is responsible for various functions in your mouth, including biting and chewing.
- Trigeminal nerve repair is done in an oral and facial surgery office, using appropriate anesthetic.
Soft Tissue Grafts
- These are minor procedures performed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon to add more tissue in various areas (where the gums have receded, the gum tissue is too thin, when periodontal disease is involved, etc.)
- These procedures are important for overall oral health.
- Soft tissue grafts are performed in an oral and facial surgery office, using appropriate anesthetic.
Temporary Anchorage Devices (TADS)
- This is a minor surgical procedure performed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon to place a small titanium screw in your upper or lower jaws, or the roof of your mouth.
- Orthodontists then connect these screws, or anchors, to various areas in your mouth to help reposition the teeth.
- The procedure is done in an oral and facial surgery office, using appropriate anesthetic.
Gingivectomy and Gingivoplasty
- Gingivectomy is a surgical procedure performed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon and involves the removal of microbial factors that create periodontitis – a severe inflammation of the gums.
- Gingivoplasty surgically reshapes the gum tissue and is usually performed together with gingivectomy for functional and aesthetic purposes.
- Both these procedures are done in an oral and facial surgery office, using appropriate anesthetic.
Crown Lengthening Procedures
- This is a minor procedure performed by an oral and facial surgeon to remove a small amount of gum tissue to provide enough room for crown placement.
- Crown lengthening is performed in an oral and facial surgery office, using appropriate anesthetic.
Administration of Anesthesia
Thanks to today’s technology, providing different types of anesthesia is possible not only in a hospital setting but also at a doctor’s office. Before any procedure, make sure that your oral and maxillofacial surgeon or dentist has sufficient experience and proper technology to administer anesthesia in his office. When managed professionally, office-based anesthesia is cost-effective and convenient.
Types of anesthesia typically used for an oral or dental surgery include:
- Local anesthesia
- Nitrous-oxide oxygen
- Intravenous sedation
- General anesthesia
