There are a number of dental procedures which can be considered as oral surgery. Some of these include extraction of impacted teeth, problems related to the jaw and root canals.
In the event a patient needs oral surgery in Colorado Springs, the surgeon and the patient will discuss the options if there are any. Prior to surgery the surgeon will have reviewed all the preliminary work done such as X-Rays, the surgeon will also instruct the patient on pre-surgery basics which include specific instructions on fasting for a defined time period prior to the procedure and making sure that the patient has a ride home if the surgery is going to involve anesthesia.
One common form of oral surgery is the removal of impacted wisdom teeth. Wisdom teeth are considered as the third set of molars but they often are misaligned or positioned in such a way that they do not cut through the gum properly; wisdom teeth also are frequently impacted. All of these things can lead to pain and swelling and the solution is to have them extracted. Having the wisdom teeth extracted not only puts an end to pain it often prevents damage to teeth in close proximity to the affected tooth.
It is not only wisdom teeth that need extracting; teeth which are severely infected or damaged represent other cases where extraction is a viable option. In many cases the oral surgeon will recommend a dental implant at the site of the extraction so that adjacent teeth will not move to take up the space, this often leads to problems with tooth alignment.
Many teeth are decayed or have an abscess but rather than extract them a root canal which is another common type of oral surgery in Colorado Springs will be undertaken. A root canal is a procedure where the soft pulp inside the tooth is removed along with the root and any associated infection. This eliminates the need for an extraction although the tooth will have to be fitted with a crown to cover the large entry hole that was needed to access the interior of the tooth.
Some patients suffer from a condition known as temporomandibular joint (TMJ). This is a condition that can cause problems with eating, swallowing as well as speaking. TMJ can be corrected with surgery or in many cases the oral surgeon will produce a custom bite guard that the patient wears at night.
If you are having difficulties with wisdom teeth, suffer from TMJ or need to have a root canal then you are invited to visit Lehman Drive Dental where Dr. Marc R. Van Ness performs oral surgery in Colorado Springs.
