Can an Oral Surgeon Improve My Smile?

oral surgeon Lee's Summit, MO

There are several procedures that an oral surgeon can perform to improve your smile. These include implants to replace missing teeth, along with bone grafts to help support these implants. Removing impacted teeth is another procedure, as impacted teeth may cause the rest of your teeth to move. Visiting an oral surgeon is the first step toward improving your smile.

Implants

Dental implants are surgically placed in the jawbone. A metal screw goes in the jawbone and acts as the root of the tooth. Afterward, a crown is placed over the implant.

First, the oral surgeon will use anesthesia to numb the area and to put the patient to sleep. The oral surgeon will make a cut in the gum in order to reach the jawbone. The oral surgeon will then drill holes in the bone where the screw will be placed. Because this screw will bear the pressure of the new tooth, the screw must be placed deep in the bone.

After the screw has been placed and the patient is beginning to heal, the jawbone will begin to grow around the screw and unite with its surface. This process is known as osseointegration. This process can take several months, and during this time, the patient may receive a temporary denture. There will still be a gap where the tooth used to be. After osseointegration has taken place, the oral surgeon will place the crown of the false tooth over the screw. This may require additional surgery, but it will be relatively minor.

Bone grafts

In some cases, a patient will not have enough bone in the jaws for dental implants. This bone loss may have happened because of age. The oral surgeon will take bone and surgically graft it to the jawbone. This bone may come from a cadaver or the patient’s own bone. The oral surgeon may also use a synthetic bone material.

Patients may take bone growth stimulants while waiting for the bone to integrate with the existing bone. This process may take up to several months. After the bone has integrated, patients will be able to receive the dental implants.

Removing impacted teeth

Sometimes patients may have impacted teeth. Removing these teeth is important because impacted teeth can cause other teeth in the mouth to shift. This results in crooked teeth. To remove the impacted tooth, the oral surgeon will make an incision in the gums in order to reach the teeth. The surgeon will then be able to gently rock the tooth to remove it. If necessary, the surgeon will remove the tooth in pieces.

Visit an oral surgeon today

There is a variety of ways that an oral surgeon can improve your smile. These include dental implants to replace missing teeth and bone grafts to support your new implants. An oral surgeon can also remove impacted teeth. Visiting an oral surgeon is the first step toward helping you have a beautiful smile.

Request an appointment here: https://spectrumsurgical.net or call Facial Spectrum at (816) 524-4334 for an appointment in our Lee's Summit office.

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