You might be wondering, what does dental surgery mean? What are the procedures? Is it painful? Today our dentists in Winnipeg answer these questions as well as share facts about dental surgery and cover some of the most common FAQs from patients.
Dental Surgery
Dental surgery is a term that encompasses a range of medical procedures that involve teeth and gums. If you require a wisdom tooth extraction, root canal, or another service we might say you need dental surgery to maintain or improve your oral health. At Academy Dental Group, our dentists take a preventive approach to dental care and always aim to recommend the least invasive procedure possible while still effectively resolving dental conditions for our patients.
Although, sometimes, surgery is necessary. Here are some of the most common dental surgery procedures:
Wisdom Tooth Extraction
In situations where your wisdom teeth come in misaligned, cause crowding, or other dental problems they will need to be extracted. Sometimes wisdom teeth extractions have to be completed in a surgeon’s office, and they could involve anesthesia. Your dentist will open the gum tissue, clean any debris or bone covering the tooth, then choose to extract the entire tooth or cut it into more easily removable parts.
After the procedure has been performed, your dentist may use either dissolving stitches or removable stitches (you will have to come back to get them removed ). Recovery generally takes a few days and you’ll have to eat soft foods until the area heals.
Dental Implants
Implants and bridges are tooth replacements. While dental implants serve as artificial roots used to support replacement teeth, bridges are false teeth that fill a gap between healthy teeth and dental implants on both sides to help restore your smile’s function and appearance.
Implants are surgically placed in the jaw bone, underneath the gum tissue. Recovery and healing will typically take 3 to 6 months after the surgery. The patient will then return to the office to complete the procedure.
At this second appointment, your dentist will attach the tooth replacement (a bridge, crown, or denture) to the implant.
Root Canal
A root canal consists of removing a damaged tooth root, to save the tooth from being extracted. The pulp will be removed from the tooth and the space cleaned. Next, your dentist will add a filling or crown to help restore the tooth’s function.
The root canal will be finished with a crown or filling. Though the tooth may feel sensitive for the first few days, and you’ll need to stick to soft foods, the procedure is usually highly successful and recovery should be uneventful.
Will Dental Surgery be Painful?
Depending on your procedure, you might feel some pain after a dental surgery but it should be manageable with over-the-counter pain relievers or prescription medication.
How Do I Encourage Recovery?
Recovery will generally take a few days. In order to ensure a speedy, smooth recovery, keep these general tips in mind:
- Apply an ice pack to the area intermittently during the first 24 hours (as directed by your dentist).
- Do not lie flat – try to lie on your side to give blood a chance to clot.
- Eat soft foods. You may gradually add solid foods back to your menu as recovery happens.
- Avoid using straws. Sucking on a straw may loosen a blood clot, encouraging bleeding and delaying healing.
- Restrict strenuous physical activity, as it may increase bleeding.
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Dental surgeries can range from simple to complex, and have varying timelines and recovery times. If you have any questions about your procedure, its benefits, or after-care, consult your dentist.
If you have any questions regarding your dental surgery at Academy Dental Group contact our Winnipeg dentists.