What is an Oral Maxillofacial Surgeon?

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are one of the most highly trained members of the dental profession. After graduating from dental school, an oral surgeon has a minimum of four years in a hospital based surgical and anesthesia training program. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons can provide treatment in a clinic or hospital, depending on the patient’s needs.

Why Would I Want General Anesthesia?

We offer general Anesthesia to all patients, but it is up to the patient to determine if they want it. Anxiety is a common factor when surgery is involved, and we understand that. We want you to have the best experience possible with the best recovery time possible. General Anesthesia is offered so that you do not have to be awake for surgery and therefore you will have less anxiety about your procedure.

When Will I Know I Need My Wisdom Teeth Out?

The most common time to remove wisdom teeth is between 16 – 19 years old. Patients in this age group have the best opportunity to heal. If you wait, they may become impacted and begin to cause pain, headaches and even difficulty chewing. If you are ever in doubt or unsure if you need your wisdom teeth out give us a call or book an appointment for a consult and we can give you the best time frame possible.

Why Do I Need My Wisdom Teeth Removed?

Wisdom teeth crowd the teeth in front of them, causing higher chance of problems with those teeth. The lower jaw is more likely to fracture during impact due to wisdom teeth. The roots of impacted wisdom teeth will slowly grow closer to the nerve. The longer you wait to remove the tooth the closer the root is to the nerve. This makes recovery time longer; risks of nerve injury increase and cost of surgery increase. Wisdom teeth can form bone dissolving cysts when patients are 40-50 years old. These cysts must be removed. It is easier to remove the wisdom teeth as a teenager and avoid the possible bone damaging cysts at age 40-50. Wisdom teeth can contribute to migraine headaches in the temple (side of your head). The tendency for temple headaches reduces when wisdom teeth are removed.