Dentoalveolar Surgery

What is Dentoalveolar Surgery?

Dentoalveolar surgery is the very important aspect of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery that concentrates on routine issues such as extractions, bone contouring, and minor soft tissue repairs. It actually represents nearly 50% of all minor surgeries completed in our office office setting. Anyone who has ever experienced a toothache will appreciate the importance of every day dentoalveolar surgery.

Teeth may need to be removed for a number of reasons. This could include orthodontic considerations or as a result of extensive decay, "gum" disease, or trauma resulting in painful, abscessed, or loose teeth. In most non-emergency situations involving the need for dental extractions, we will evaluate and treat you at the same visit. This treatment can be performed under local anesthesia (numbing medicine), conscious sedation or general anesthesia. Please remember not to eat or drink anything (except for prescription medications) for at least 6-8 hours prior to your appointment if you would like to “go to sleep”. If your dentist has recently taken x-rays which show all of the teeth in question, please bring them with you to your appointment or verify that they have been sent and received. On many occasions a special Panoramic X-ray will be needed to identify vital structures in the area of the surgery.

Most patients prefer not to return to work on the day a tooth is extracted…usually because of minor post-extraction bleeding and discomfort. We will provide you with post-operative instructions, extra gauze, and a prescription for pain medication and antibiotics (if indicated) after your treatment is complete. Post-operative instructions can also be found HERE. You can expect mild to moderate discomfort for a few days following the extraction. There may be some swelling, stretching of your lip, or bruising. In general, you should start to feel better after 2-3 days. If you do not, please let us know.