Oral Surgery

Our specially trained professionals at Foothill Dental Group know that oral surgery can be an intimidating dental procedure for a patient. That’s why we take extra strides to make the experience as comfortable as possible.

What is oral surgery?

Any procedure that involves artificially altering your mouth or jaw is considered oral surgery.

While general dentists are well qualified to perform certain types of oral surgery, there are more complex procedures that only oral surgeons can undertake. They have gone through four to eight additional years of training after dental school to specialize in oral surgery.

What are some types of oral surgery procedures?

Extractions

Dentists are well equipped to remove many types of teeth. Tooth extractions that are more complicated - like ones involving impacted wisdom teeth - require the expertise of an oral surgeon. Extractions are very common and can be done with general or local anesthesia.

Foothill Dental Group uses the most modern techniques to ensure that tooth extractions are done as safely and comfortably as possible.

Wisdom Teeth Removal

Many people don’t have enough space in their mouths for their third molars. Since these teeth do not emerge until later in life - generally between the ages of 17 and 25 - they are commonly referred to as wisdom teeth.

It is best to pay attention early on to wisdom teeth to ensure they do not cause overcrowding or pain. Diagnostic radiography - like taking images with X-rays - along with regular dental visits can help keep track of the movement of wisdom teeth to determine if they need to be removed.

After years of removing wisdom teeth, you can be confident that Foothill Dental Group will pay close attention to your jaw and dental movement. We like to maintain active conversations with our patients regarding the steps that can be taken to ensure their smiles look great, perform optimally, and remain healthy.

WISDOM TEETH (3RD MOLAR) EXTRACTIONS

If a patient has sufficient space for their wisdom teeth to erupt, there is no need to have these teeth extracted.  However, for most people, this is not the case.

An impacted wisdom tooth is one that has not erupted at all.  A partially impacted wisdom tooth is one that has partly erupted. 

Wisdom teeth can lead to problems if they do not fully erupt.  Here are the problems that an impacted or a partially impacted wisdom tooth can cause:

• Wisdom teeth that aren’t in the right position can allow food to become trapped. That gives cavity-causing bacteria a place to grow.
• Wisdom teeth that haven’t come in properly, can make it difficult to floss between the wisdom teeth and the molars next to them.
• Wisdom teeth that have partially come through can give bacteria a place to enter the gums and create a place for infection to occur. This may also lead to pain, swelling and stiffness in your jaw.
• Wisdom teeth that don’t have room to erupt can damage neighboring teeth.
• A wisdom tooth that is impacted can form a cyst on or near the impacted tooth. This could damage the roots of nearby teeth or destroy the bone that supports your teeth.

Wisdom teeth that are not removed should continue to be monitored because the potential for developing problems later on still exists. 

At Foothill Dental Group, patients have the option to get their wisdom teeth removed by an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon.

Their advanced training in anesthesia allows them to provide quality care with maximum patient comfort and safety in the office setting

Dental Implants

Though a dentist or prosthodontist can attach a replacement tooth, an oral surgeon may first need to place the artificial root of the dental implant.

We pride ourselves on making our patients as comfortable and pain free as possible. In fact, many patients experience either no or very little pain during and after the procedure.

If you are considering having dental implants placed, our friendly dental professionals at Foothill Dental Group are here to review the process and options with you.

How will it feel?

Foothill Dental Group provides a wide range of anesthetic options depending on the patient and type of procedure being performed.

Our patients are made as comfortable as possible with local anesthesia and sedation. We also provide general anesthesia when it is best for the patient to be unconscious during the procedure.

The safety and comfort of our patients is our highest priority. All options will be discussed in detail prior to treatment to make sure you are as pain free and comfortable as possible throughout the procedure and during recovery.

How do I know if I need oral surgery?

The best way to determine if you need to have any oral surgical procedures done is to make an appointment with a dentist.

A typical dental visit includes a visual examination of your mouth and jaw in which the dentist may be able to determine if oral surgery is needed. X-ray imaging may also be done to inspect potential problems that are not visible on the surface.

After years Foothill Dental Group has taken care of patients with all degrees of oral surgery needs ranging from simple and routine to complex and challenging.

Call us at (510) 782-4161 to schedule a dental appointment to determine if oral surgery is right for you.