Oral Surgery

Oral surgery is a dental specialty that deals with diagnosing and treating various conditions, injuries, and defects in the oral cavity. An oral and maxillofacial surgeon is trained to perform oral surgery procedures. These doctors have completed several years of training after medical school. They also perform complex procedures to treat patients who need to replace missing teeth.

Types of Oral Surgery

• Tooth extractions

A tooth extraction, also called tooth removal or tooth pulling, 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, orthodontic treatment that is moving teeth into positions that are no longer accessible for cleaning and oral hygiene, a broken jaw caused by trauma, severe gum disease, and more. Patients who are considering tooth extractions should speak with a dental professional to determine whether this is a treatment that is right for them.

• Wisdom teeth removal

Your wisdom teeth might be removed if they are causing you pain, crowding your other teeth, or if they have become infected. In addition, your wisdom teeth may be impacted, meaning they are trapped under the gums or bone and are not able to emerge properly. If this is the case, you need oral surgery to have them removed. After your surgery, you may need follow-up appointments to monitor the healing process. During this time, you may experience some discomfort and pain, but you should be able to manage with over-the-counter medication. You can also take an over-the-counter painkiller about half an hour before your appointment to help you relax.

• Bone grafts

One common oral surgery procedure is bone grafting, which is performed to replace bone that is missing due to missing teeth or trauma. The grafting material acts as a scaffold for your body to rebuild the natural bone in the area.

• Sinus lift

In some cases, a patient needs additional bone structure around where the crown will be placed. This is usually due to severe resorption or bone loss around the roots of the teeth. A sinus lift procedure is a procedure that adds bone structure to the maxillary sinus floor, which helps support a new dental implant. This procedure is typically necessary when the patient does not have enough bone in the jaw to support an implant. It is typically only recommended for patients who have lost a lot of bone in their upper jaw because the procedure requires cutting the gum tissue to expose the bone that is there.

• Frenectomy

A frenum is a fold of tissue that connects your upper lip to the gums or between your two upper front teeth. Some people are born with long, thick, or tight frena, which can affect the function of your mouth and smile aesthetics. An excessive frenum can prevent your upper and lower teeth from coming together when you bite down. This can cause your teeth to fit together improperly, causing crooked teeth. A frenectomy is a surgical procedure that involves removing the excess tissue from your frenum. This can improve your ability to chew and speak as well as improve your smile aesthetic. 

Call Dr. Kevin D. Fong, DDS at phone number (510) 783-1572 or schedule an online appointment. Email us at: [email protected] to know more about oral surgery.