Talk To Us About Your Oral Surgery

We know it’s not something that anyone wants to hear. We also know that it could make a huge difference in your long-term oral health.

Oral surgery can seem pretty scary, which is why we welcome and encourage you to talk to us if you have any questions. To schedule a consultation at our dentist office in Sand Springs, OK, call (918) 245-5976 or contact us online.

At Galleria of Smiles, we can perform a variety of procedures. If you are a regular patient, this can make your treatment less worrisome. We will already know what needs to happen, and we have the expertise to do it for you.

Below, we will be discussing some reasons you might need oral surgery now or in the future.

 

➧ You Need To Rebuild Your Gums

The name of this kind of procedure is a gum graft. Basically, this is a tissue transplant. We will be adding gum tissue to your mouth so you can rebuild your gums to their original healthy levels.

Advanced gum disease can cause gum recession. This occurs when your gum tissue begins to separate from your teeth. We know it’s not a pleasant thought. Yet, if this happens, a gum graft may be necessary to build your gums back to where they should be.

Gum tissue plays an essential role in protecting the roots of your teeth. Without sufficient tissue to cover your roots, you will be at risk of serious problems including tooth loss.

During a gum graft, transplanted tissue is added to your existing gums. As you heal the transplanted tissue and the existing tissue grow together.

 

➧ You Need A Tooth Or Teeth Removed

Tooth removal is one of the most common surgical procedures in dentistry. There are a variety of reasons for this, and one of the most common is wisdom teeth removal.

Much like your appendix or your tonsils, wisdom teeth are considered vestigial body parts. They no longer have a necessary purpose, but they are still there.

Even so, wisdom teeth can cause a number of problems. This is because most people’s jaws are not large enough to allow wisdom teeth to come in correctly. As a result, wisdom teeth can come in crooked or sideways. That can put pressure on nearby teeth, change the alignment of your existing teeth, and increase your risk for tooth decay and gum disease.

For most people, removing their wisdom teeth is a good idea before these kinds of problems can occur. Wisdom teeth typically come in when people are in their late teens or early 20s. By making regular visits to our dentist office, we can monitor changes in your mouth. Many times we can identify potential problems early and advise you when your or a loved one’s wisdom teeth should be removed.

While wisdom teeth extractions are common, they aren’t the only reason you might need to have a tooth pulled. Many times, removing teeth can be part of your preparation for other treatments.

Several patients have teeth removed before they begin orthodontic care. Sometimes people don’t lose primary or “baby” teeth when they should, which prevents their permanent teeth from coming in. Sometimes, a tooth is so out of alignment that it’s easier to remove it in order to create a straighter smile.

And of course, a tooth that has been severely damaged or has become severely decayed may need to be removed if a root canal will not be able to save it.

Tooth removal also can be necessary for someone considering full-mouth reconstruction, which leads us to the next type of oral surgery that we would like to mention.

 

➧ You Need To Rebuild Your Jawbone

Dental implants have done remarkable things for our patients in and around Sand Springs, OK, and for people around the world who need to replace missing teeth. In order to get implants, however, you need to have enough bone tissue to hold the implants in place.

If your jaw is too small (which often is a consequence of losing multiple teeth), then we can perform a bone graft. Just as a gum graft rebuilds your gums, a bone graft can rebuild your jaw so it will be strong enough to support implants.

The transplanted bone tissue and your existing jawbone will grow together to form a stronger jaw as you heal. When you have recovered, you will be able to get the implants you need to restore your smile and your bite.

 

To learn more about the procedures mentioned above or other kinds of oral surgeries, contact Galleria of Smiles online or call (918) 245-5976.