Let’s say you are at your office and working, and then suddenly, you feel a bad toothache or a severe pain in your mouth, which is unbearable. When you refer to the dentist, s/he day will inform you that oral surgery will be performed to solve your oral problem. Most people panic with the word” oral surgery” since they have never had anything more than a dental filling or a root canal therapy before, and the idea of a surgical procedure is daunting. Here a North York oral surgeon will define oral surgery and explain some common methods and what you can expect to do if you coordinate with each of them.
Oral surgery is any surgery on your mouth and jaw, usually performed by a professional dentist or oral surgeon who has been trained to diagnose and treat certain types of oral and dental problems. Different kinds of situations need oral surgery, including gum grafting, tooth extraction, root canal therapy, tooth implants, impacted wisdom tooth, maxillofacial surgery, etc. For example, let’s take a look at dental surgery for the tooth extraction process.
Tooth extraction is a common dental surgery, which is usually necessary to resolve disease, trauma, or an infected mouth. Visible teeth above the gum line are usually removed by a simple extraction process. When bone or tissue should be cut to remove the tooth, you may undergo surgical extraction. When a surgical extraction is done, stitches should be used to close the wound. Another kind of tooth extraction is when wisdom teeth are half erupted or impacted. In this case, an oral surgeon will decide to perform a necessary surgery on the patient.
When Is Oral Surgery Needed?
Most of the time, when the dental and maxillofacial procedure goes beyond the specialty of a general dentist, you may need oral surgery. If you suffer from gum disease and should have a gum transplant, a periodontist who performs this type of oral surgery should visit you. If you need oral surgery, your general dentist will talk to you about it and refer you to an experienced oral surgeon.
How to Be Prepared for an Oral Surgery?
First of all, you should carefully follow your dentist’s instructions for getting prepared for oral surgery. You should make sure that the considered area is clean and tidy and then stay comfortable. Follow the pre-surgery instructions which your oral surgeon suggests to you. No matter what the surgery is going to be performed, for most surgeries, including oral surgery, the surgeon usually asks the patient to refrain from eating or drinking anything for eight to ten hours before surgery.
Arrange for home transportation if necessary. Talk to your oral surgeon about the type of anesthesia that is considered for you. Some types of anesthesia can interfere with your ability to drive. Depending on the type of oral surgery, you may have a local anesthetic. When the anesthesia is IV, someone is needed to take you home.
