Oral Surgery
Oral surgery is the dental specialty involving surgical treatment of diseases, injuries, and deformities of the mouth, teeth, gums, and jaws. Oral surgeons treat problems caused by wisdom teeth, facial injuries, and jaw disorders, and are skilled in reconstructive surgery.
We have our own team of oral surgeons on staff to better serve our patients. We also provide our general dentists with courses and training by certified oral surgeons to improve their skills.
Extraction of Teeth
Dental extraction is the removal of a tooth from the mouth. Extractions are performed for a wide variety of reasons, including tooth decay that has destroyed enough tooth structure to prevent restoration. Extractions of impacted or problematic wisdom teeth are also routinely performed, as are extractions of some permanent teeth to make space for orthodontic treatment.
Extractions are often categorized as “simple” or “surgical”.
- Simple Extractions: Simple extractions are performed on teeth that are visible in the mouth, usually under local anesthetic, and require only the use of instruments to elevate and/or grasp the visible portion of the tooth.
- Surgical Extractions: Surgical extractions involve the removal of teeth that cannot be easily accessed, either because they have broken under the gum line or because they have not erupted fully. In a surgical extraction, the dental surgeon may elevate the soft tissues covering the tooth and bone and may also remove some of the overlying and/or surrounding bone tissue with a drill or osteotome.