April 28, 2024

Expectations Regarding Oral Surgery

Even though your teeth are among the smallest portions of your anatomy, oral surgery is still serious.  As the date of your oral surgery in Shelby Township approaches, you will likely have several inquiries, so you should read on to learn more.

Prior to dental surgery

You can and must do both to prepare for oral surgery. First, you may be required to abstain from consuming and drinking 8 to 12 hours before your procedure. This guarantees that you will not vomit while under anesthesia.

It is also advisable to arrange transportation to and from your surgery and take the remainder of the day off. 

Throughout oral surgery

What to expect during oral surgery depends heavily on the reason for the procedure. Placing a dental implant and extracting a third molar are two of the most common indications for oral surgery. Here is a closer examination of how these procedures operate.

Dental implant treatment

In the first phase of dental implant surgery, the existing tooth is extracted (unless the tooth is already absent). Then, another procedure is performed to implant the titanium “root” of the implant into the jawbone. Your dentist will give you time to recover (roughly three to six months) and permit the root to fuse with the jawbone. 

At your final appointment, the dentist will attach the prosthetic tooth to the titanium root, completing the dental implant procedure and providing you with the uniform smile you seek. 

By administering and managing anesthesia or sedation during each stage, the dentist will ensure that you are completely comfortable.

Wisdom tooth extraction

As no two of our patients are identical, no two wisdom tooth extractions are identical. Dentists approach each case differently based on how your wisdom teeth erupted and the presence or absence of complications. 

As with dental implant surgery, dentists mostly use anesthesia or sedation to ensure your complete comfort during wisdom tooth extraction.

Following oral surgery

Recuperation periods vary based on the type of surgery performed. Although dental implant surgery takes longer than a wisdom tooth extraction, neither procedure is particularly painful. Anticipate requiring an additional day or two to recuperate before returning to work. If it occurs, you can readily manage pain with cold compresses and pain medication.

A remark about dry sockets

When a tooth is extracted, a void inevitably remains. In that cavity is a fragile blood clot working diligently to aid in your recovery. If this blood clot is broken up, you will develop an agonizing condition known as a dry socket. 

Avoid imbibing from straws or ingesting alcoholic or carbonated drinks to prevent dry sockets. Stick to foods that are soft and easy to ingest, such as dairy products, apple sauce, and instant oats. 

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