This involves are minor and major oral dental surgical procedures common extraction, surgical extraction, impacted tooth removal, surgical removal of cyst/granuloma, fracture treatment.
Oral & Maxillofacial (OMF) Surgeons specialise in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting the mouth, jaws, face and neck.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is an exciting and challenging specialty of Dentistry that combines dental, medical, and surgical knowledge and skills. More simply put, the oral and maxillofacial surgeon is the orthopedic surgeon of the facial region who addresses problems ranging from the removal of impacted teeth to the repair of facial trauma.
FAQ
Your dentist should be able to tell you if you need a tooth or teeth removed for your overall oral health and comfort. If you are unsure of your dentist’s recommendation regarding your teeth, don’t hesitate to get a second opinion from another dental professional. In many instances, whether or not you need a tooth extracted is not a black and white issue: there may be both benefits and drawbacks to your choices. Your dentist should be able to discuss these pros and cons with you at length.
Wisdom teeth (or third molars) are the last teeth to erupt into the mouth and are the furthest teeth from the front of the mouth.
Wisdom teeth usually erupt between the ages of 18-21 but this can vary between patients.
No, in many cases, wisdom teeth erupt fully into the mouth into full function and behave exactly like any other tooth. Where a wisdom tooth remains fully buried, often it can be left alone if it is expected not to cause any problems. Diseased or potentially problematic wisdom teeth should be removed.
This is because of a number of factors;
No, in general:
This depends on the degree of impaction, the number of teeth and your own particular healing! After the procedure, expect some soreness, swelling, bruising, bleeding & some limited mouth opening. This is usually well controlled with the prescribed pain medications.
Everyone has a small possibility of infection or dry socket following an extraction. The pre and post-operative instructions aim to reduce this risk.
Altered sensation to the lip/chin & tongue is a rare but recognized complication of lower wisdom tooth removal. This is seen in a fraction of a percent of patients. Each individual’s risk can only be assessed following a consultation with an oral surgeon. By having your wisdom teeth removed by an experienced specialist oral surgeon you can minimize (but not eliminate) this risk.