What Is an Oral Surgery?
It is any procedure that treats and reconstructs various oral features. Usually, oral surgeries concern different elements, including your teeth, gums, jaw, or surrounding oral and facial structures. Therefore, the specialty of dentistry for performing oral surgeries is called oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Oral surgeries must be conducted by trained, skilled, and experienced dental experts. Still, general dentists can perform some surgeries, while others are delegated only to oral surgeons. It depends on the type of surgery.
Types of Oral Surgeries in Dentistry
Oral surgeries can target various oral features in your mouth, including the gums and teeth. The most common oral surgeries in dentistry are:
- Tooth extractions – pulling out a tooth is the most general oral surgery for children and adults alike.
- Implantation surgery – a surgery for permanent tooth replacement with titanium metal posts called tooth implants.
- Grafting surgeries – to repair damaged tissues like the gums or jawbone.
- Endodontic surgeries – an Apicoectomy is a surgery that treats abscessed teeth due to internal tooth infections.
- Frenectomy – is a surgery for loosening the frenulum, a soft tissue attachment in the floor of the mouth under the tongue or the upper lips.
- Cleft lip and palate repair – to correct the birth defect in babies.
How Long Does It Take for Oral Surgery?
The duration of oral surgery is relative to the type of procedure. Some oral surgeries take longer than others. For instance, an implantation surgery will take about 1-2 hours to place a single implant. Meanwhile, it takes about 30 minutes or fewer to complete a frenectomy surgery. Therefore, learn about the details of your oral surgery in Bayside, including the timeline of the procedure beforehand.
How Do You Prepare for Oral Surgery?
Preparing for an oral surgery near you will differ a little based on the type of surgery. The longer your oral surgery, the more prepared you must be before your treatment. Some general guidelines for preparing for any oral surgeries in Bayside dentistry are:
- Be informed – the day of your surgery cannot be the first time you visit your dentist. It is advisable to visit your dentist beforehand for a comprehensive dental exam. During this visit, learn as much as you can about your oral procedure. The more informed you are, the more likely you will be at ease with the events of your oral surgery.
- Fast – avoid eating or drinking anything, including water, for 6-8 hours before your surgery. For longer surgeries, your dentist may recommend fasting for even 12 hours before your surgeries. The stakes are higher when your dentist needs to use sedation dentistry for your treatment. However, when using local anesthesia, we allow patients to eat a light meal about an hour or two before their procedures at Dental Expressions by Dr. Gary Bram.
- Brush and floss your teeth before surgery – in some cases, the dentist may recommend a professional dental cleaning beforehand. However, it is generally a good idea to have a clean mouth when visiting your dentist for treatment.
- Have company when visiting the dentist’s office – after oral surgery, chances are that you need someone to drive you home before the medication wears off.
- Wear loose and comfortable clothing to the surgery – this way, you will not have a hard time removing your clothes when asked to change into hospital clothing for surgery. Further, avoid wearing makeup and jewelry to the dentist’s office.
- Plan for your recovery – after dental surgery, you will experience downtime to heal and recover. Set up your home to make it clean and comfortable to house you during the recovery period.
Life After Oral Surgery
Post-treatment care is crucial to quick healing and recovery. After oral surgery, keenly follow the guidelines your dentist provides for your recovery. More importantly, avoid the following things:
- Eating hard and crunchy foods.
- Avoid moving your head forcefully.
- Refrain from intense physical exertions, including lifting heavy weights
- Do not dislodge the blood clot forming on your wound – it helps stop bleeding, initiating the healing process.
- Do not brush the surgical site – while good oral hygiene is paramount after oral surgery, be careful not to be abrasive on the wound.
