When Is Oral Surgery Recommended?

Oral surgery is conducted to repair, restore, or extract damaged or diseased teeth. There are several types of oral surgery:

Impacted Wisdom Teeth

Your third molars, or “wisdom teeth,” usually erupt from your gums in your late teens or early twenties. If your jaw is too small to comfortably accommodate your wisdom teeth, they can become impacted and unable to emerge fully from the gums. This can lead to pain, infection, and other complications that can cause severe damage to your oral health. If your dentist has determined that your wisdom teeth are likely to become impacted, they will likely recommend that you have them removed to avoid future issues.

Dental Abscess

A tooth abscess is an infection that has spread to the pulp of a tooth and the tissue around it. An untreated infection can spread from the root of the tooth into the jawbone, causing severe problems and even tooth loss. This is why an abscess should be treated as soon as possible to prevent the infection from spreading. 

Tooth Extraction

If decay or a fracture is so severe that it compromises the structural integrity of the tooth, your dentist may recommend removing the tooth or teeth in question. In most cases, you will be scheduled for a routine tooth extraction procedure. However, more complicated cases may require an oral surgeon.

A tooth extraction can be performed by a general dentist or oral surgeon. Your dentist will numb the area with a local anesthetic and extract the tooth using forceps. Once the tooth is removed, the area may be packed with gauze to control bleeding and promote healing. You may have some discomfort following the procedure, but over-the-counter pain relievers can help manage any pain you may experience.

Fractured, Cracked, or Broken Tooth

If a fracture or crack is severe enough, it can cause pain when chewing or biting down on the affected tooth. A fractured tooth may also cause a noticeable change in your smile’s appearance since it causes the tooth to no longer be properly aligned. When a crack in a tooth is causing you discomfort and affecting how you look, you will need to undergo restorative oral surgery to fix it.

If left untreated, the damaged tooth could die and require extraction. In severe cases, this could also lead to an infection of the gums or the jaw itself. Treatment for a fractured tooth includes repairing it with a crown or a veneer. These restorations work to restore the tooth’s original shape so it looks as good as new again.

Visit Rosemont Dental Center, 2090 Old Farm Dr #C, Frederick, MD 21702, or contact the Dentist in Frederick, MD, by calling us at (301) 663-1144 to learn more.