Oral Surgery

Damage to the jawbone can occur in areas where there are missing teeth. The jawbone can deteriorate and change the facial structure and make it unsuitable for a dental implant. Luckily, today’s technology can repair the inadequate bone in preparation for dental implants through bone grafting, restoring functionality and esthetic appearance.

While the use of a local anesthetic to prevent pain is sufficient for many dental patients, sedation or general anesthesia may be appropriate to ensure the safe and efficient delivery of dental procedures. Most commonly given by means of an injection or as an inhalant, general anesthesia describes a mixture of potent drugs that are used to induce a sleep-like state. Sedation and general anesthesia are safely and effectively used for thousands of dental procedures each year. 

When a tooth is extracted, the procedure leaves behind a small hole where the tooth once was. This socket can be very sensitive at first, which is why your provider may recommend socket preservation to go along with your extraction.

A socket or alveolar ridge preservation procedure involves placing a bone graft into the socket, where the tooth once was. The goal of socket preservation is to improve the appearance of the remaining teeth and gums and to make the process of getting a dental implant at a later visit less complicated.