Oral Surgery Procedures We Coordinate

We can coordinate a wide range of procedures, including:

  • Tooth extraction
  • Wisdom tooth extraction
  • Dental implant surgery
  • Bone grafts
  • Gum grafts

Our dental team has extensive experience collaborating with prosthodontists, endodontists, and general dentists. Advanced technology like CBCT and oral scanners lets us plan your treatments quickly and accurately so you can get the beautiful, functional, and comfortable results you’re looking for.

Tooth Extraction Process

If there is one thing that we prioritize here at Advanced Dentistry of Scarsdale in Westchester, it is the preservation of your natural teeth. Our dental team will always do what we can to save your teeth as they are in the natural structure of your mouth. In most cases, tooth extraction is a last resort, as oral surgery is a big deal. We work hard to keep you as informed about your treatment as possible and aim to make you feel comfortable while you undergo your treatment with coordinated dental professionals.

Why Do You Need Tooth Extraction?

The most common reason for extraction in teenagers is a lack of space for adult teeth to move through. Similarly, adults have wisdom teeth removed to reduce pain and provide more space in the jaw – this is common when wisdom teeth impact. 

However, other reasons for tooth extraction include tooth decay, tooth infection, and gum disease. Patients who have to undergo organ transplantation or chemotherapy may also need to remove any compromised teeth, which may be an infection risk. Visible tooth extraction is usually straightforward, but broken teeth or those impacted require a more involved operation.

Tooth Extraction: How It Works

If nothing can be done to save your permanent tooth, we will coordinate a tooth extraction. There are two types of tooth extraction: simple and surgical. Which type is appropriate for you depends on the condition of your tooth: how healthy it is, how visible it is, and whether it’s impacted or not. Wisdom tooth extraction can be either type as well. Here is a breakdown of each procedure:

Simple Tooth Extraction

For a simple extraction, you will receive a local anesthetic. You’ll get a topical anesthetic on the gum before the local injection and feel pressure but no pain throughout the procedure. Your dentist will use an elevator to loosen your tooth and then use forceps to pull it out.

Surgical Tooth Extraction

For a surgical extraction, we recommend more than a local anesthetic. Options include intravenous sedation or general anesthesia. IV sedation keeps you calm and still, while general anesthesia keeps you unconscious with no awareness throughout the procedure. In some cases, a small cut is made into your gums, and depending on the severity of the local infection, some bone may need to be removed before the tooth can come out.

Anxiety during extraction is natural, but if you have anxiety before the procedure, please speak to us and let your concerns be known. We can help you to address your concerns to help you feel more comfortable and confident during your procedure.

Dental Implant Surgery

Dental implants are a wonder of modern dentistry. Once placed in your mouth, your bone will integrate with the implant so that it’s essentially part of your jaw. This lets them function just like your natural teeth. 

Dental implants can last a lifetime with accurate placement, well-designed restorations (such as dental crowns, bridges, or dentures), and proper maintenance. Most last 20 years or more, and there are some documented cases of dental implants lasting over 50 years. 

Planning Implant Surgery

Before coordinating the procedure, we’ll discuss your goals for dental implant surgery, including the function, appearance, and maintenance of your dental implants and restorations. Once we know what you’re looking for, we can create a plan to achieve your goals.

The unified digital workflow at Advanced Dentistry of Scarsdale makes it easy to plan all stages of your implant procedure at the same time. This allows us to place implants with an awareness of what your final restoration will look like and design your restoration in the context of your mouth’s true condition. 

We’ll start with a CBCT scan–a series of digital X-rays that lets us construct a 3D model of your jaw and teeth, including knowledge of how much bone you have suitable for supporting dental implants. We’ll decide on the optimal placement of your dental implants and work out any extractions we might need to perform beforehand. We’ll also determine if you need support procedures like gum disease treatment, bone graft, or gum graft before or during implant surgery. 

How Implant Surgery Works

Dental implants typically function like screws that we drive into your bone. As with screws, we may pre-drill holes. If extractions are performed, we may use the sites of your removed teeth to place the implants.

Implant surgery typically causes less discomfort than tooth extractions. It can be performed under local anesthesia, but if your procedure is involved, you are anxious, or you are especially sensitive, IV sedation or general anesthesia might be used.
With detailed planning, implant surgery is efficient, taking less than an hour per implant.

When your implants are placed, their stability will be evaluated before deciding whether you will get the following:

  • A provisional restoration–a rough version of your final restoration, attractive and functional but not as durable
  • Healing caps–small caps that allow your gums to heal around the places where the restoration will attach
  • Implants covered by your gums–this protects your implants and lets them integrate with your bones without interference

Over the next three to six months, your body will rebuild the bone around the implants until fully integrated. Then, you will be ready for your final restoration.

Bone Graft

The bones in your jaw not only support your teeth but also help shape your face. Gum disease, facial trauma, aging, and atrophy can all reduce the amount of bone you have. Sometimes, you don’t have enough bone to support dental implants. If so, your dentist will perform a bone graft before placing dental implants. This means adding material that your body will incorporate into your jawbone to ensure enough support for dental implants.

Grafting material can come from you, which requires a separate surgery on another part of your body. Bone material can also come from either human or animal donors, but it’s sterilized. It can be a large piece or a paste that will be applied to fill areas where there’s not enough bone.

Gum Graft

Gum disease or injury can lead to areas where you don’t have enough gums to cover your tooth roots or even your jawbone. With a gum graft, a flap of gum material is moved to cover these areas. Sometimes, the gum graft remains attached and can be rotated where needed. Other times, your dentist will remove the graft material entirely and place it where needed.

Schedule an Appointment Today

If you’re looking for a dental practice to coordinate tooth extractions, dental implants, or other forms of oral surgery, please schedule an appointment with Advanced Dentistry of Scarsdale today by calling (914) 725-7100 or using our online contact form. You’ll receive a high level of service and care from an expert team of dentists devoted to keeping your smile healthy.

FAQ

While both dentists and oral surgeons can handle tooth extractions and some surgeries, there’s a difference in complexity. Oral surgeons are like the dental world’s specialists, focusing on trickier procedures like wisdom teeth removal.

Tooth extraction, also known as tooth removal, is a common oral surgery. Dentists prefer to save your natural teeth whenever possible, but extraction may be necessary to protect your overall oral health. Here are some reasons why a dentist might recommend tooth extraction:

  • Severe tooth decay or cavities that can’t be repaired with fillings or crowns
  • Gum disease (periodontitis) that loosens teeth and damages the jawbone
  • Dental trauma from accidents or injuries that crack or fracture teeth
  • Impacted wisdom teeth causing pain, crowding, or infection
  • Preparing the mouth for dentures or other prosthetic devices

In addition to treating these problems, some dentists recommend preventive wisdom tooth extraction to avoid future complications like cavities, bone loss, and crowding.

The anesthetic might not completely eliminate feeling in the area, but it should block any pain or sharp sensations. You may still feel some pressure or like there’s movement during the procedure.

While both oral surgeons and maxillofacial surgeons perform surgery in the mouth and jaw area, there’s a key distinction in their expertise.

  • Oral Surgeons: Focus on procedures within the mouth, including tooth extractions (wisdom teeth included), dental implant placement, and treatment of jaw issues. They are experts in oral health and surgery.

  • Maxillofacial Surgeons: Have a broader scope, encompassing everything oral surgeons do, plus procedures involving the entire face, jaws, head, and neck. This includes facial trauma repair, reconstructive surgery, head and neck cancer surgery, and even cosmetic facial procedures. They have additional training in medicine beyond dentistry.

Think of it like this: An oral surgeon is a dental specialist, while a maxillofacial surgeon is a specialist in the entire facial region, with dentistry as a strong foundation.