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The 3 Most Common Oral Surgery Procedures Today

Oral surgery is a specialized field of dentistry that focuses on diagnosing and treating diseases, defects and injuries in the face and jaw, or the maxillofacial area.

oral surgery procedures

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons perform a wide variety of treatments. The three most common surgical procedures provided today at Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery of Utah are tooth extractions, dental implants and jaw surgery.

Tooth Extractions

Although general dentists can pull teeth, some tooth extractions may require oral surgery. For this reason, general dentists, orthodontists and physicians frequently refer patients to oral surgeons.

Any damaged, nonfunctional or badly positioned teeth that cannot be easily reached require surgical extraction. Oral surgery can move or remove bone and gum tissue and expose the tooth for removal.

Patients with impacted or partially erupted wisdom teeth are frequently referred to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon for tooth extraction. Teeth that are severely damaged or misaligned may also require surgical removal.

Many orthodontic treatment plans may include strategic surgical tooth extraction to reduce crowding or to achieve better alignment.

Dental Implant Oral Surgery

Dental implants are increasingly becoming the preferred method to replace missing teeth. The implant process includes oral surgery, so that the titanium rods that function as replacement tooth roots can be implanted into the jawbone. In addition, some patients require bone grafts prior to having dental implants.

Some general dentists offer implant placement services to their patients. However, oral and maxillofacial surgeons undergo an additional four to six years of surgical training in placing dental implants.

Thanks to this extra training and experience, and because placement for some implants can be complicated, industry experts generally recommend an oral surgeon for dental implant procedures.

Corrective Jaw Surgery

Corrective jaw surgery is used to correct dental and skeletal irregularities that affect chewing, speaking and breathing. Also known as orthognathic surgery, these procedures may involve reconstructing and realigning one or both jaws to improve function and facial appearance.

Often, orthodontic treatments are completed in conjunction with these surgical procedures.

Corrective jaw surgery can also resolve bite problems and dysfunction caused by facial trauma or congenital defects. Temporomandibular joint and muscle problems in the jaw, or TMJ disorders, may also be treated successfully with orthognathic surgery.

Doctors Maxfield and Partridge, along with the professional treatment team of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery of Utah, provide a full range of diagnostic services and procedures for patients throughout the greater Salt Lake City area.

Call our Cottonwood Heights, Tooele or South Jordan office today to learn more, or to schedule your oral surgery consultation.

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