Our goal is to preserve the structure of a natural tooth for as long as possible. We always look for the most conservative solutions for keeping a tooth healthy and intact. But situations do arise where extraction is the only viable option such as:
- A decayed or broken tooth is too damaged to be treated with a root canal.
- A tooth is positioned at an unusual angle and threatens to alter the position of surrounding healthy teeth.
- If advanced gum disease has compromised the stability of a tooth, we may suggest extraction to protect your gums and remaining teeth.
- We need to remove teeth in preparation for orthodontic treatment.
We understand that it is overwhelming to lose a tooth, even under controlled circumstances. But the compassionate and friendly members of our professional team have the experience and training necessary to guide you through the experience and make it as stress-free as possible.
Bone Preservation
We can only imagine what our bodies would look like without bones. This scaffolding provides support, form, and protection to our organs and delicate tissue. The bone around your teeth, called alveolar bone, holds the teeth firmly in place. The particular height, shape, and density of this specialized bone can be compromised due to gum disease, tooth removal, and other forms of trauma.
If bone shrinks away from your teeth, it never grows back. In some cases, bone can be encouraged to fill in with grafting materials. Every situation presents a different scenario, but more options than ever exist to promote bone repair in the jaw. For example, when a tooth needs removal, a large hole then exists in the bone. While it will eventually fill in, the site tends to shrink, drawing bone away from the area jeopardizing surrounding teeth. Grafting materials can be placed at the time of tooth removal to help preserve the existing bone level. Bone grafts are especially beneficial if you are considering an implant-supported restoration in the future.
Even areas that have already suffered bone collapse can often benefit from specialized grafting material, bolstering nearly any part of the jaw bone. It's important to note: bone destroyed by gum disease often leaves significant defects around teeth. While some of these areas are grafting candidates, many of them experience irreversible bone loss. Controlling gum disease with your team will serve your health much better than corrective surgical grafts.
Improving Oral Care for the Surrounding Soft Tissues
We always evaluate the entire mouth, not just your teeth! Other situations that we are skilled at managing include:
- Remove oral growths and relieve the pain of cold sores and fever blisters
- Remove cysts, soft tissue lesions, and fibromas
- Contour excess gum tissue to eliminate the problem of a “gummy” smile
- Remove tongue and lip tie if it is causing unwanted tooth movements
Sedation options offered for Oral Surgery
The thought of oral surgery is daunting to many people. But there’s no need to be nervous, and we can help you relax using different levels of sedation.
The first option we offer at Dental Creations of Daytona Beach is nitrous oxide or laughing gas, which is the mildest form of sedation available. Nitrous oxide will make you feel drowsy, and the activity around you will seem very far away. But it won’t put you to sleep, and you will be alert enough to communicate with your dental team.
As soon as we stop administering the flow of nitrous, its effects dissipate quickly. You can drive yourself home from your dental appointment and return to your usual activities.
Oral sedation is another effective option where our dentists prescribe a sedative for you to take about an hour before your appointment. By the time you arrive at our dental office, you will already feel very relaxed and comfortable. If you choose oral sedation, however, a friend or family member must drive you home from your appointment.
At Dental Creations of Daytona Beach, we also have the privilege of offering IV sedation. With IV sedation, a calming medication is delivered directly into the bloodstream throughout your appointment. Unlike oral sedation, your dentist will have control over your level of sedation throughout your appointment, increasing or decreasing it to keep you comfortable.
Steps to take following Oral Surgery
Recovering from oral surgery should be a smooth, uncomplicated process if you follow your dentist’s instructions and care for yourself and the surgical site properly.
These instructions typically include the following:
- Plan to stay home and care for yourself for the rest of the day. If you’ve been sedated, we recommend that you rest at home until the sedative wears off. Avoid bending, lifting, or other strenuous activities
- Place an ice pack on your jaw for 30 minutes to reduce bruising, swelling, or pain. Then remove it for 15 minutes and repeat the process.
- It’s critical to protect the clot that is forming over the surgical site. Disturbing or dislodging the clot often leads to a very painful condition called dry socket. Don’t smoke and don't drink through a straw as the sucking motion can dislodge the clot.
- Stick to a soft diet for the first few days that includes applesauce, soup, or yogurt. Stay away from foods that are hot, cold, chewy, or spicy.