Oral Surgery

Oral surgery is any of a number of surgical procedures performed on and inside the mouth. Oral surgery can help alleviate pain and fix several dental-related problems. San Diego Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Coleman is an experienced oral surgeon who can help you pinpoint the nature of your problem and suggest solutions.

Reasons for Oral Surgery

When teeth become impacted or are decaying, a tooth extraction may be needed. Extracting decayed teeth is a very common type of oral surgery. There are many other reasons for having oral surgery including:

• Wisdom teeth removal
• Dental Implants
• Tooth impaction
• Improving the fit of dentures

The wisdom teeth are the last set of molars to develop and are located in the back of the mouth. These teeth emerge through the gum line just like your other molars, but the jaw is usually too small and is not able to make room for them. If the wisdom teeth are allowed to emerge, they often crowd your other teeth causing a shift of the teeth. Sometimes, the wisdom teeth do not emerge in proper alignment with your other teeth. They may cause discomfort and pain. Unfortunately, the wisdom teeth may not fully emerge and then become impacted. Impacted teeth cause swelling, pain, and sometimes infection of the gum tissue.

Removing the wisdom teeth before they cause any of these problems is important. They may cause permanent damage to the teeth nearby, the gums, or cysts and tumors on the bone. This can destroy the jaw where the cysts and tumors form. The best form of action is to contact an experienced oral surgeon to discuss the best time for wisdom teeth removal. This way, your teeth are not removed too soon or too late.

Wisdom teeth are not the only teeth that may become impacted. The bicuspids can cause the same problems as wisdom teeth if they are impacted. These are the teeth in between your back molars and your canine teeth and may try emerge from your jaw line, but become impacted.

Dental implants are used for replacing missing teeth. A dental implant consists of the implant that is inserted in the jawbone, an abutment, and a porcelain crown. The abutment is attached to the implant and the porcelain crown is placed on top of the abutment. The implant is surgically placed in the jawbone and acts as a tooth root replacement.

The Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is the small joint in front of your ear. This is the joint where the lower jaw meets the skull. The jaw may cause migraine headaches or back and neck pain if it is improperly aligned. TMJ disorders are usually treated with neuromuscular dentistry. Neuromuscular dentistry properly aligns the jaw relieving most or all of the pain. Oral surgery for the joint is seldom necessary as a treatment option for severe cases.

Oral surgery can be used to correct the jaw of any irregularities to help your dentures fit more comfortably. There are cases where the jawbone that supports the dentures deteriorates. With these cases, bone grafting of the deteriorated areas creates a stronger support for the dentures.

Many people who suffer from sleep apnea have a mild case that is easy to treat. This soft tissue collapses during sleep blocking the air passages and causes episodes of stopped breathing. Dr. Coleman treats sleep apnea with therapeutic oral appliances.

Contacting Us Today

Oral surgery corrects many dental health problems. If you have impacted teeth or want to know when your wisdom teeth should be removed, please contact our cosmetic dentistry office today. We serve patients in and around the San Diego, La Jolla, and Poway areas.