Let’s be honest. No one wants to hear that they need oral surgery. But sometimes, despite our best efforts to brush our teeth regularly, floss, and avoid certain behaviors, such as smoking or consuming sugary foods and beverages, we require oral surgery.

And though we don’t have any exact statistics on how many American adults need oral surgery every year, we can tell you this:

• Oral surgery is not uncommon.
• Through the use of modern dental technology, oral surgery doesn’t need to be painful or uncomfortable.

Oral surgery isn’t something to be scared of.

Oral surgery procedures are relatively commonplace these days. These are the 5 most common types of oral surgery that you should be aware of.

1. Wisdom Tooth Extraction

Though most people get their wisdom teeth removed during their teenage years, there are occasions when adults need those far-back molars pulled too. The wisdom teeth are the last set of teeth to emerge from the gums. But, occasionally, those teeth don’t have enough room in the jaw. This can cause poor dental alignment or even an inability for the wisdom teeth to emerge from the jaw.

As the wisdom teeth get trapped between your jaw bone and gum tissue, it results in impacted teeth, which can be painful and cause swelling or infection. If you didn’t get your impacted wisdom teeth removed when you were younger, you might have had resulting dental issues.

2. Dental Implants to Resolve Tooth Loss

If you expect the best, then the chances are that you don’t want to leave a gap in your mouth from a missing tooth. When we have missing teeth, the teeth adjacent to that gap can begin to shift, causing other problems in the mouth. And if our teeth aren’t straight or our smiles aren’t white and bright, it can wreak havoc on our self-confidence. So, if you have missing teeth, don’t fret, because there are excellent tooth replacement options.

We’re happy to tell you, too, that you have found the best dental implant specialist in Dallas. Dr. Alhadef and the team at Dallas Cosmetic Dental will answer your questions and determine if you are a good candidate for dental implants. If you are, and dental implant surgery is the right type of oral surgery for you, you’ll likely be on your way to a new and improved smile before you know it.

3. TMJ Surgery

If you have been experiencing jaw pain, it is possible that you are suffering from TMD, more officially defined as a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder. The TMJ works like a sliding hinge that connects your jaw bone to your skull. A disorder of the jaw bone can cause pain in your jaw joint or in the muscles that control the movement of your jaw.

If you are experiencing TMJ locking, continuous facial pain, intense pain that isn’t eased through medications, an inability to eat or drink without pain, or you have a facial deformity that has affected the development of your TMJ, you may need oral surgery to correct your TMD.

4. Correction of Extreme Snoring

If you are a snorer and it is affecting your sleep or the sleep of your partner, then it is time to talk to your dentist. One of these first lines of defense is making some changes at home. Weight loss, avoiding alcohol at bedtime, treating nasal congestion, sleeping on your side or stomach, and making sure you are getting seven to nine hours of sleep per night may help.

When those tricks don’t seem to work, the next step is to try nasal strips or a mouthguard to open up the airway. In extreme cases, a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) device might be recommended. Yet, if all of these measures fail, oral surgery is the next step. This type of oral surgery involves the removal of soft tissues at the back of the mouth, called the oropharynx.

5. Root canals

When tooth decay gets to that innermost core of your tooth, the pulp, a root canal may be the type of oral surgery recommended by your dentist. We’ve all heard of the previously dreaded root canal, the dental treatment that repairs and saves a badly damaged or infected tooth instead of removing it.

The concept of the root canal itself comes from the cleaning of the canals inside of your tooth’s roots. This goes deeper than just removing decay from the upper part (crown) of your tooth. Because of the power of local anesthesia, most people today think of root canals less like “surgery” and more like a filling that goes a little deeper and takes a little longer.

In need of oral surgery in Dallas? Dr. Alhadef can help.

If you believe you are in need of oral surgery, request a consultation with Dr. Alhadef at Dallas Cosmetic Dental. Our priority is to provide you with comprehensive, high-quality care with the level of expertise you should expect from a cosmetic dentist.

We use the best in modern dental technology to give you amazing results while keeping you more comfortable than ever. So if you have been told you need oral surgery and want a second opinion or you are ready to move forward in your dental treatment, we’re here to help.