Oral surgery

Oral surgery denotes any medical procedure done on the mouth with specific regard to the teeth, jaw, and gums. Simple tooth extraction may be performed in a dental clinic by a dentist, and more complicated surgeries such as wisdom tooth removal are done in hospitals by an oral surgeon.

Oral surgery performed in dental clinics is quite common and requires only a local anesthetic. Many people don't realize that simply having a tooth extracted is a form of oral surgery. But still, there is no need to get frightened or feel apprehensive as most of the time they are routine procedures.

What is Wisdom Tooth Removal Surgery?

Wisdom teeth removal surgery is a procedure that is performed to extract the third set of molars, which normally appear between the ages of seventeen and twenty-five. Many people have at least one impacted wisdom tooth, which doesn't have enough space in the mouth to grow naturally. The extraction of a wisdom tooth becomes compulsory if impaction is identified or if they have the potential to cause other complex problems. 

Wisdom teeth removal is a surgery that an oral surgeon typically performs. A wisdom tooth removal will be recommended if an exam and X-rays reveal that your wisdom teeth are impacted or may cause you future dental problems. 

What is involved during Wisdom Tooth Extraction?

The surgery for wisdom tooth extraction should take about 45 minutes. You shouldn't feel any pain or discomfort with anesthesia, and you may be asleep or conscious during the surgery, depending on what type of sedation is used. A typical wisdom tooth extraction involves the following steps:

 If you are given nitrous oxide, you will be given a small mask to fit over your nose in order to inhale the sedative, allowing you to be awake but remain relaxed. If intravenous (IV) sedation is chosen, the doctor will administer a sedative in the vein of your arm throughout the surgery. This is generally considered the most comfortable choice since you drift in and out of consciousness and are most unlikely to remember the procedure afterward.  Once you are sedated, your surgeon starts by numbing the wisdom teeth and their surrounding tissues with a local anesthetic. 

The surgeon then removes any gum tissue covering the area where the wisdom tooth is located to access the tooth. In most instances, an impacted wisdom tooth could be fully or partially covered with bone. If this is the case, a high-speed tool is used to drill through and remove the bone surrounding the tooth. When the impacted wisdom teeth can be seen, the dentist uses various surgical instruments and loosens them gently from any connective tissue in the tooth's socket. If required, the surgeon may also cut the tooth into sections to allow for easier extraction. Once the wisdom tooth comes off loose, it is slowly removed with specially designed surgical instruments entirely. Now that the wisdom teeth are removed, the surgeon will stitch up to close the cut area. This is necessary when the impacted wisdom teeth are removed or when the surgeon feels the patient will better heal with stitches in place.

After the procedure is finished, the nitrous oxide gas or IV drip is stopped, and you will be brought slowly out of sedation. The surgeon will give gauze for you to bite down so as to help the blood clot in the operated area. After the surgery, you may feel mild effects of the anesthesia, including nausea, dizziness, and shivering. Wisdom tooth removal is a standard dental oral surgery, and complications are rare, and you should be perfectly fit and fine in a few days.

Call us at Eldridge Dental or schedule an online appointment to know more about Oral surgery