Many patients are a little intimidated, maybe even overwhelmed, when they hear their dentist use the term “surgery.” However, the truth is that this type of treatment doesn’t need to be dramatic or stress-inducing. There are a number of situations in which oral surgery can be beneficial! Keep reading to learn more from our Mill Valley dentists…
Dental Damage
Many patients first require dental surgery because they have developed an oral infection that has spread throughout their smile. Once an infection has infiltrated the core of a tooth or the jawbone tissue, we will excise the infected tissues and proceed with restorative dental care. The sooner we are able to begin treating an oral infection, the better the prognosis for the patient!
Impacted Wisdom Teeth
Patients with impacted wisdom teeth—third molars that are stuck in the jawbone—can benefit from oral surgery as well. Because these teeth never erupt on to the gum line, we cannot pull them as we would pull any other tooth. Surgical intervention is necessary so that we can go into the patient’s jawbone tissue and retrieve the tooth.
Oral Cancers
Oral surgery is also an indispensable component of oral cancer treatment. Cancerous tumors can develop throughout a patient’s mouth—on the tongue, hard palate, gum tissue, and jawbone. Keep in mind that our dental team performs an oral cancer screening as part of every semi-annual appointment and cleaning—so, we encourage you to stay up-to-date!
If your dental team mentions surgical intervention as a treatment option, there’s no need to panic! You can learn more about the ins and outs of oral surgery by giving our Mill Valley dentists a call—we’re here to help you get the care you need to smile confidently!