Needing to undergo oral surgery is never fun, but oral surgery isn't the same as it was a few years ago. Nowadays, advancements in dental technology have made the entire process easier, the recovery time much lower, and the pain and side effects minimal. While we know the idea of surgery can be scary, rest assured that oral surgery is only done if necessary. Still, sometimes it's better to have surgery than to suffer the consequences of an oral health problem.
Facts About Oral Surgery
There are a few things you should know about oral surgery that will make you more comfortable should you have the surgery yourself.
First, many patients must undergo surgery if they see a dentist regularly. This is because things can happen to our teeth and gums that require us to need oral surgery to fix.
One of the most common types of surgery is wisdom tooth extraction. While many complex tooth extractions require surgery, wisdom tooth extraction is the most common because wisdom teeth tend to grow incorrectly and become impacted into the gum line. This necessitates them to be surgically removed to prevent them from causing problems with the rest of your teeth, like crowding issues or potentially spreading infection from one tooth to the rest.
There are surgical procedures to correct advanced gum disease, perform bone grafting, and even correct TMJ. Still, thanks to local anesthesia and advancements such as laser technology, oral surgery are much less painful, and the recovery time is minimized compared to traditional methods. Technology makes treating gum disease and performing bone or tissue grafting much simpler. Even figuring out how to perform complex extractions is simpler thanks to 3D scans of the mouth and other technology.
What to Do If You Need Oral Surgery
If you are recommended for oral surgery, it’s important to follow your dentist’s advice. That being said, you should still practice good oral health habits. If you’re nervous about the procedure, then it’s the perfect time to talk with your dentist about what exactly will happen, what precautions they will take, and how long the surgery and recovery will take once everything is done.
This way, you can put your mind at ease and know what to expect from start to finish, so you won’t have to worry about surprises.
