Common Types of Oral Surgery

There are many different types of oral surgery. Some involve operating on the teeth, gums, or jaw, while others focus on the surrounding oral or facial structures. Some of the most common oral surgeries are listed below.

Extraction

Extraction is the most common type of oral surgery. Often, your dentist may recommend tooth extraction when a tooth is suffering from severe tooth decay, gum disease, or trauma. Millions of people each year need an extraction. In addition, in some cases, teeth may need to be extracted in preparation for dental implants.

Your dentist will often try to save the tooth if possible, but sometimes it just has to go. Options, such as dental implants, exist to fill the gap of the newly missing tooth, so don’t fret about a missing spot in your smile!

Wisdom Teeth Removal

Wisdom Teeth Removal is a specific type of extraction that involves, as you might guess, removing wisdom teeth. This is a standard procedure as removing wisdom teeth allows more room for the rest of your smile to fit and helps prevent other issues the wisdom teeth might cause.

Wisdom teeth removal is often performed between the ages of seventeen to twenty-five. You may not need your wisdom teeth removed, but if you are between that age range, it’s a good idea to have your dentist look over your teeth to see what the best approach for you is.

Implants

Dental Implants are one of the most reliable and long-lasting tooth replacement solutions. Small medical-grade posts are embedded into the jaw, acting as your new tooth’s roots. Then, once the post has healed, a dental crown, bridge, or denture can be added, giving you a brand-new tooth in its place. The total treatment time can range anywhere from six weeks to over a year, depending on how complex the case is.

Corrective Jaw Surgery

Also known as orthognathic surgery, corrective jaw surgery helps to resolve any skeletal issues in your jaw bone. This is often used to treat any misalignment present, help combat facial imbalances, or help improve chewing function. Corrective Jaw surgery has also been known to help with pain caused by TMJ.

Cleft Lip and Palate Repair

This surgery is most commonly performed on babies. Occasionally, children can be born with an opening in their upper lip or the roof of their mouth. This surgery repairs these openings and allows the babies to return to eating and learning to speak as normal. A cleft lip repair can occur as early as three months after birth. For Palate Repair, around nine months is ideal. These oral problems are best tackled early so as not to cause more issues.

Root Canal

One of the more infamous oral surgeries, root canals, are known for being an intense operation. Root canals are done to repair the decaying or damaged tooth. The surgeon removes the old or damaged tissue and reseals the tooth after cleaning and filling it. This is often performed by an endodontist or dentist. You don’t need to go to the hospital for it.