How Do Oral Surgeons Remove Teeth?

Oral surgery, in simple terms, is any surgical procedure performed on the teeth, jaws, gums, and any other structure in your mouth. Oral or maxillofacial surgery can include gum grafts, jaw surgeries, implants, and extractions.

An oral and maxillofacial surgeon usually performs oral surgery, and there are various reasons why this happens. Some of these reasons include;

• Bone loss in the jaw of the patient.
• Oral Cancer
• Sleep Apnea
• Dental Trauma
• Tooth Decay
• Dental Crowding

It is essential to know that tooth removal is not the first option dentists, and oral surgeons consider. Sometimes, doctors might advise patients to use a tooth crown.

Tooth removal is only the last resort after all other options have failed and the teeth continue to cause serious problems. There are also cases where tooth removal won’t be the solution, and what you need would be gum surgery. If you are experiencing severe pain, Forest Park Dental Arts have skilled and experienced surgeons on call at all times to help you with maxillofacial surgery or gum surgery – whichever you need.

Types Of Oral Surgery

• Dental Bone Graft: This surgery is necessary when bone loss is in the jaw. There are some reasons why this might happen. The roots of your natural teeth always stimulate your brain to send nutrients to your jaw. Your brain then sends nutrients to your jaw to ensure that it remains healthy and strong. If a tooth has been missing for a while, then there has been no signal sent to your brain to keep the jaw healthy and strong, leading to bone deterioration in the said area. That is where dental bone grafts come in. They restore the density and volume in your jaw bone. They also keep your teeth strong and healthy.
• Periodontal Surgery:Periodontists often prescribe periodontal surgery for people with moderate or severe periodontitis. Making incisions along the gum line allows the tissue to be shifted away from the teeth during this procedure. Following that, the surgeon cleans the roots of the teeth, removing any germs and plaque that may have accumulated beneath the gum line. The gum tissue is then sutured and repositioned into place again. Sometimes, Periodontitis can lead to gum recession. In cases like this, what is needed is a gum graft. The surgeon can remove it from the top of your mouth or get it from another gum tissue.
• Tooth Extraction: This is the most common type of oral surgery. Tooth extraction is for severe tooth decay or periodontitis, wisdom teeth complications, and dental trauma. Tooth extraction can also prepare people for dentures or some other prosthetic devices. Many dentists recommend wisdom teeth removal to reduce the probability of patients having bone loss, cavities, or any other type of problem.
• Sleep Apnea Surgery: Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the tissues in the back of your throat fall back and block your throat during sleep. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machines, oral appliance therapy, and other conservative methods can treat obstructive sleep apnea successfully. Nevertheless, many cases may require surgery.

Tooth Removal Procedure

There are different ways that a dentist can remove a patient’s tooth. Generally, the procedure involves:

1. Numbing the tooth: Before beginning the tooth removal procedure, a shot of anesthetics will make the gum, tooth, and bone tissue around it numb. This step involves the insertion of the needle, which should be painless, placement of the needle, and depositing the anesthetic.
2. Extraction of The Tooth: To extract a tooth, you have to pull it from its socket. The ligament of the tooth holds it in place in its socket, which is why the surgeon separates the tooth from its ligament before taking it out of the socket.
3. Closing The Space: The surgeon will first have to bring the socket back to its normal size by compressing it with his finger. Then, they check for any sinus complications. The next thing for the surgeon to do is to remove any tooth fragment before stopping the bleeding.

After removing your tooth, it is worthy to note that you would need time to recover. Recovery usually takes less than a week, and you’ll be back on your feet in no time.