Common Types of Oral Surgery

Surgery is needed when an infection or a disease of the oral cavity has gone past the scope of basic medications. The procedure may involve teeth extraction, jawbone restructuring, and implantation. In some cases, oral surgery is performed for cosmetic purposes. Here are three of the most common types of oral surgery.

Extraction of Impacted Teeth

Most dental extraction procedures involve the wisdom teeth. Often, wisdom teeth grow misaligned and become impacted in the process. Teeth with this condition must be removed to prevent the area from swelling and experiencing severe irritation. Extraction allows the surrounding teeth to grow freely, and thus stops the pain and inflammation.

Implantation

Dental implants are used when replacing a missing tooth but the results are more permanent and closer to the qualities of a real tooth. Sometimes, the jawbone structure isn't fit to be implanted, forcing dental specialists to either trim the jawbone or add metal plates where the implant can attached. This requires an oral surgery since the modifications may invade the gum and bone structure within the oral cavity.

Root Canal

Cavities are a precursor to gum infection, especially if left unattended. When the infection spreads, the dentist has to deal with both the decaying tooth and the infected gum and bone tissues through a procedure called root canal treatment. This procedure is performed when there's a significant amount of tissues between the bone and the tooth infected.