Oral surgery can be cosmetic or a medical issue like dental implants. The surgeries are performed by oral surgeons rather than by a dentist. Oral surgeons deal with issues like a misaligned jaw, reconstructive surgery, wisdom teeth issues, or cleft lip palate surgery.
Facial dental surgery can be costly, but most insurance companies cover them. When it comes to oral surgeons and dentures, the surgery has to be performed before dentures are fitted. The surgery covering procedures like removing excess bone and tissue grafting is done so that the dentures fit well in the gum. After the surgery, it will take like 6-8 weeks before you can have the dentures implanted. Before the surgery, ensure that you get a list of oral surgeons that are qualified with many years of practice. You can ask for recommendations from your dentists or anyone you know who has undergone the procedure.
It seems to be the most predominant rite of passage into adulthood for Americans: wisdom tooth removal. In fact, it is done to approximately 5 million people in the U.S., according to the American Public Health Association, with results of 10 million wisdom teeth being removed.
But beyond a rite of passage, wisdom tooth removal is one step in a lifelong process of taking good care of one’s oral health. Good dental habits are highly important to your overall health, and your local dentist would tell you just that.
And most people want to do take care of their teeth. They care about their appearance and how their teeth look, with the people who care about “the look of their teeth” totaling 32%. Of course, it is also true that a bright, healthy smile is a good way to meet people and open new doors for conversation, careers and camaraderie.
But the truth is that many people are reluctant to visit the dentist (translate that to actually mean ‘petrified’). The thoughts of oral surgery, tooth replacement, fillings, crowns, caps and of course wisdom tooth removal are all just too much for many of them.
It doesn’t have to be scary, though. Here are a few quick facts about oral surgery that might help you relax and maintain your bright and healthy smile…or even make your current smile even more dazzling.
Oral Surgery Restores Your Smile
If you are anxious or hesitant about visiting the dentist, or don’t like the way your teeth look, you are not alone. In fact, 28% of all Texas adults deliberately do not smile for this very reason, says an American Dental Association survey. An oral surgeon can help you with this.
Oral Surgery Fills in the Gaps
Are you missing a tooth? Or teeth? Well, there’s no need to keep your hand over your mouth for the rest of your life. A dentist can fill that gap with a crown or bridge replacement.
Oral Surgery Maintains Gum and Bone Health
There must be something special about dental implants: 3 million people already have a tooth implant today. And the number is growing, with every year finding that 500,000 more people have them. Taking care of your teeth also helps take care of your gums and your bones, too.
To sum up, all the advances in general dentistry and oral surgery make it possible to make sure you take care of your oral health. Just think of the catchy theme song to that classic TV comedy, The Mary Tyler Moore Show: “Who can turn the world on with her smile?” Well, with good oral health, it will be you that they’re singing about!