What is oral surgery?
Oral surgery is a broad term for any operation performed on your teeth, gums, jaw or surrounding oral and facial structures. It includes a wide range of procedures, including teeth extractions, dental bone grafts, periodontal (gum) grafts and corrective jaw surgery.
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Why is oral surgery performed?
You could need oral surgery for a number of reasons. Your dentist might recommend it if you have:
- Extensive tooth decay.
- Badly broken teeth.
- Gum disease.
- Impacted teeth.
- Missing teeth.
- Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD).
- Bone loss in your jaw.
- Sleep apnea.
- Oral cancer.
- Benign oral pathology (noncancerous lumps or bumps).
What are the different types of oral surgery?
There are several types of oral surgery procedures performed each year. Some of the most common include tooth extraction, dental bone grafts, dental implants, periodontal surgery, corrective jaw surgery, sleep apnea surgery and cleft lip and palate repair.
Tooth extraction
The most common type of oral surgery is tooth extraction (tooth removal). An extraction might be recommended if you have severe tooth decay, gum disease (periodontitis), dental trauma or wisdom teeth complications. Sometimes tooth extractions are performed to prepare you for dentures or other prosthetic devices.
Most dentists prefer to save natural teeth when possible, but sometimes extractions are necessary to preserve your overall oral health. Additionally, many dentists recommend wisdom tooth extraction as a preventative measure to reduce your risk for cavities, bone loss and other problems.
Dental bone graft
A dental bone graft is necessary when bone loss has occurred in your jaw. There are a couple of reasons why this may occur. When your natural teeth are present, the roots stimulate the nerves in your jaw. This signals your brain to send nutrients to your jaw, keeping it strong and healthy. If a tooth has been missing for some time, bone deterioration can occur in that area because there are no roots to stimulate the nerves. A dental bone graft restores volume and density in your jawbone so that dental implants can be placed later on.
Sometimes, your provider might place a bone graft during periodontal surgery. Advanced gum disease can cause the bone around your teeth to erode. A bone graft reduces mobility and provides a solid foundation, keeping your teeth strong and healthy.
Dental implants
Dental implants are widely considered the most reliable and longest-lasting teeth replacement option available. These small threaded posts — made of medical-grade titanium or zirconia — are embedded into your jaw to replace missing teeth roots. Once the implants are healed, they can be restored with dental crowns, dental bridges or dentures.
Periodontal surgery
If you have moderate or severe periodontitis, a gum specialist may recommend gum disease treatment. During this procedure, incisions are made along your gum line and the tissue is temporarily moved back away from your teeth. Your surgeon will then clean your teeth roots, flushing away plaque and bacteria that have accumulated under your gums. Finally, the gum tissue is repositioned and sutured into place.
Sometimes, gum recession can occur as a result of periodontitis. In these instances, you may need a gum graft. During this procedure, your surgeon reinforces the area of tissue loss with donor tissue. This tissue may be taken from the roof of your mouth or purchased at a certified tissue bank.
Corrective jaw surgery
Corrective jaw surgery — also called orthognathic surgery — addresses skeletal abnormalities of your jaw bones. This procedure may be recommended to improve chewing function, correct misalignment or address facial imbalances. Corrective jaw surgery is also used to ease pain caused by TMJ dysfunction (TMD).
Sleep apnea surgery
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when the tissues in the back of your throat fall back and block your airway during sleep. Sometimes OSA is successfully treated with conservative methods, such as oral appliance therapy or using a CPAP machine. However, severe cases may require surgical intervention.
Cleft lip and palate repair
A baby born with cleft lip has an opening in their upper lip, while a baby born with cleft palate has an opening in the roof of their mouth. Some babies are born with both conditions. Cleft lip and palate occur when the facial structures don’t fully develop in the uterus. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons commonly perform cleft lip and palate repair to restore normal eating function and help a child develop proper speech patterns later on in life.
Who performs oral surgery?
An oral and maxillofacial surgeon performs surgery on the mouth, jaw and face. A periodontist, or gum specialist, performs surgery on the gums and bones that support your teeth. Both oral surgeons and periodontists must undergo three to four years of additional training after they graduate from dental school.
FAQs
Oral surgery refers to any surgical procedure performed on your teeth, gums, jaws or other oral structures. This includes extractions, implants, gum grafts and jaw surgeries. Oral surgery is usually performed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon or a periodontist.
What are the most common oral surgery procedures? ›
The most common oral surgeries include tooth extraction, wisdom teeth removal, dental implants, oral biopsy, and dental bone grafting. These procedures are essential for maintaining optimal oral health and can prevent future complications.
What are the different types of extraction in oral surgery? ›
There are two main types of dental extraction, simple extraction and surgical extraction. Simple dental extraction is used to remove teeth that can be seen and are easily accessible, whereas surgical dental extraction typically requires an incision into the connective tissue to gain access to the tooth to be removed.
What is the most painful oral surgery? ›
Many people see root canal treatment as the most painful dental procedure. But, other treatments may also cause discomfort: Tooth Extractions: A tooth removal, especially surgical ones, may cause temporary pain. However, dentists use anesthesia to minimize pain during the procedure.
What is the difference between dental surgery and oral surgery? ›
The Overlap
You will notice some overlap in what dentists and oral surgeons treat. They are both capable of performing tooth extractions and other basic surgeries. However, Oral surgeons typically handle more complex surgeries and extractions—like wisdom teeth.
What is the most feared dental procedure? ›
Many people have a pronounced fear of needles, known as trypanophobia. Given that many dental procedures involve injections for anesthesia, the mere sight of a needle can trigger intense anxiety for some.
What is the most difficult oral surgery? ›
Root Canal Treatment
Root canal treatments are complicated because each tooth has a different anatomy, and a dentist must be skilled enough to navigate through the pulp without damaging the surrounding tissues.
What are the new techniques for tooth extraction? ›
The most recent tooth extraction techniques involve using specialized tools and lasers to make tooth extractions less painful and more successful. Lasers can be used to reduce pain and swelling and help the tooth come out faster and with less discomfort.
What is the most difficult tooth extraction? ›
Impacted wisdom teeth are wisdom teeth that have failed to erupt properly. They are generally considered to be the most difficult teeth to extract.
What are the three main types of extraction methods? ›
In general, extraction methods are standardized around liquid–solid extraction (e.g., Soxhlet), solid-phase extraction (SPE), and liquid–liquid extraction (LLE). The choice of procedures is dependent upon the amount and type of sample requiring extraction and the types of other compounds that may be present.
Root canals have a long history of being viewed as the most painful and negative dental procedure. Inaccurate information or fear-mongering over others' experiences may have given them a bad reputation. Here are some facts and myths about root canals to ease your fears.
What are the riskiest dental procedures? ›
Invasive dental treatments (IDTs) such as extractions, gum surgery (gingivectomy/periodontal surgery), and dental implants are considered invasive and linked to short-term acute inflammation and transient increases in the risk for vascular events.
What is the most common oral surgery? ›
Some of the most common include tooth extraction, dental bone grafts, dental implants, periodontal surgery, corrective jaw surgery, sleep apnea surgery and cleft lip and palate repair.
Is periodontal surgery the same as oral surgery? ›
The bottom line is that oral surgeons can perform various dental procedures while periodontists focus on gum health.
Can an oral surgeon fill a cavity? ›
Well, that's not the case. A dentist will specifically deal with your oral health and treatment. This may include tooth extraction, cleaning, surgeries, grafting of bones, and cavity filling, etc. A dentist may refer a patient to an oral surgeon in case the diagnosis or treatment falls outside their practice.
What is one of the most common procedures the oral surgeon performs? ›
The most common type of oral surgery is tooth extraction (tooth removal). An extraction might be recommended if you have severe tooth decay, gum disease (periodontitis), dental trauma or wisdom teeth complications.
What is the most commonly used dental anesthesia? ›
Nowadays, the most common anesthetic dentists use is Lidocaine. Novocain used to be the more common option a few decades ago, professionals now use other anesthetics that work better and longer. The one thing all these anesthetics have in common is their names ending with "cain."
What drugs are most commonly used in oral surgery? ›
Novocaine® and lidocaine are the most common type of injectable anesthetics. Such medications block the nerves from transmitting signals and are used for more major types of procedures such as fillings and root canals. Sedation and general anesthesia – Sedatives are medications designed to help a patient relax.
What oral surgeries require anesthesia? ›
Most patients choose general anesthesia if they have wisdom teeth removal, dental implants placed, or they are undergoing oral or maxillofacial reconstruction.
