Routine Dental Surgery

Teeth may need to be removed for a number of reasons, usually due to extensive decay, "gum" disease, or trauma resulting in painful, abscessed, and/or loose teeth. If your dentist has recently taken x-rays which show all of the teeth in question, please bring them with you to your appointment or verify that they have been sent and received.

Some patients require minor oral surgical procedures before receiving a partial or complete denture, in order to ensure the maximum level of comfort. A denture sits on the bone ridge, so it is very important that the bone is the proper shape and size. If a tooth needs to be extracted, the underlying bone might be left sharp and uneven. For the best fit of a denture, the bone might need to be smoothed out or reshaped. Occasionally, excess bone would need to be removed prior to denture insertion.

One or more of the following procedures might need to be performed in order to prepare your mouth for a denture:

• Bone smoothing and reshaping
• Removal of excess bone
• Bone ridge reduction
• Removal of excess gum tissue
• Exposure of impacted teeth

Most patients prefer not to return to work on the day or dentoalveolar surgery…usually because of minor post-surgical bleeding and discomfort. We will provide you with post-operative instructions, extra gauze, and a prescription for pain medication or antibiotics (if indicated) after your treatment is complete. Please review our post-operative instructions. You can expect mild to moderate discomfort for a few days following the surgery. There may be some swelling, stretching of your lip, or bruising. In general, you should start to feel better after 2-3 days. If you do not, please let us know.

If you prefer to be sedated or "go to sleep", a pre-operative appointment to evaluate you and discuss anesthesia options is mandatory. This allows us the opportunity to review your medical history, determine what procedure(s) are needed, and otherwise prepare you for your procedure.