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7 Reasons You Should See a Chattanooga Oral Surgeon

7 Reasons You Should See a Chattanooga Oral Surgeon

7 Reasons You Should See a Chattanooga Oral Surgeon

You know to see your dentist twice a year for cleanings and exams, but it may not be as clear when you should seek the services of a Chattanooga oral surgeon. It is likely that at some point your life circumstances will warrant a trip to the oral surgery office. Here are seven scenarios in which you absolutely should seek out the specialty care of a Chattanooga oral surgeon.

1– Wisdom Tooth Extraction

Most of us have at least some wisdom teeth, if not all four, and ultimately any dental professional will tell you you should have them removed. If wisdom teeth align properly with surrounding teeth and the neighboring gum tissue is healthy, they do not have to be removed; however, that does not generally occur. If you haven’t undergone wisdom teeth removal surgery, you should probably see an oral surgeon.

2– Impacted Tooth

An impacted tooth is one that has not erupted within the mouth, and this is often the case with wisdom teeth. Impacted teeth can take on many positions in the bone, and they will attempt to find paths by which to erupt successfully. This can be problematic for a number of reasons as they may grow sideways, partially emerge from the gums, or even stay trapped beneath the gums and jaw bone. Impacted teeth can cause all sorts of problems like pain, swelling, stiffness, and even infection, so they also warrant a visit with an oral surgeon.

3– Dental Implants

Another reason to visit an oral surgeon is the need for dental implants. Dental implants offer a permanent solution for missing or damaged teeth. For most patients, dental implant placement involves two surgical procedures. First, dental implants are placed within your jawbone. For the first three to six months following surgery, the dental implants are beneath the surface of the gums, allowing them time to bond with the jawbone. Then your surgeon will uncover the dental implants, and attach small posts to them to act as anchors for the artificial teeth. The entire process usually takes six to eight months; however, most patients experience little disruption in their daily lives.

4– Corrective Oral Surgery

Facial trauma is another reason you may need to see a Chattanooga oral surgeon for treatment. Facial trauma can include facial and lip lacerations, knocked out teeth, fractured facial bones, fractured upper and lower jaw bones, and more. In the event that you suffer a facial injury due to a sports or motor vehicle accident, work-related injury, or some other circumstance, you may need to be treated by an oral surgeon.

7 Reasons You Should See a Chattanooga Oral Surgeon

5– Surgically-Assisted Tooth Eruption

Some teeth are just stubborn and will not come in all on their own. If this happens to you or your child, you can seek treatment from an oral surgeon to uncover or expose the tooth and coax it into its proper place, usually with the help of an orthodontist. Tooth exposure is a simple surgical procedure in which the gum is lifted to uncover the impacted tooth, assisting its eruption. If there is still a baby tooth present, it will be removed at the same time.

6– TMJ Treatment

TMJ (Temporomandibular joint) disorders are a family of problems related to the complex jaw joint. Unpleasant symptoms can occur when the joints of the jaw and the surrounding chewing muscles fail to work together as they should. Since some types of TMJ problems can lead to more serious conditions, early detection and treatment is important. An oral surgeon can suggest avenues of treatment for TMJ such as the introduction of a mouthguard to help protect your teeth from excessive grinding and clenching, orthodontic braces to fix a problematic bite, and injections of Botox into the jaw muscles to help manage pain and promote relaxation.

7– Oral Pathology

Another reason to see an oral surgeon is if you think you may be exhibiting symptoms of oral cancer. Things to look for include sores that bleed easily and fail to heal, chronic sore throat or hoarseness, trouble swallowing or chewing, reddish or whitish patches in the mouth, and a lump or thickening on the skin lining the mouth. Any alterations in the appearance of the inside of the mouth could be an indication of an issue. Through our oral pathology services, our oral surgeons at Ocoee can help detect and diagnose these problems in office.

If you find yourself in need of oral surgery care, contact our team at Ocoee Oral Surgery today. We are accepting new patients, and no referral is necessary. We’d love to take care of you.

Surgically Assisted Tooth Eruption– What to Know Before Your Oral Surgery

Impacted teeth sometimes need coaxing for them to erupt, and our Cleveland oral surgeons can help with a procedure called surgically assisted tooth eruption.

Let’s be real. For many of us, a lot goes into having perfectly straight teeth. Even before the braces can go on, lots of mouths require special attention in preparation for the journey that is orthodontics. Sometimes crowding must be mitigated with tooth extractions, and sometimes impacted teeth even require some coaxing before they will grow in. This is most common with the canines or eyeteeth, and sometimes requires a procedure called surgically assisted tooth eruption. This sounds pretty intense, but it’s really not as scary when you choose the right oral surgeon.

Impacted teeth sometimes need coaxing for them to erupt, and our Cleveland oral surgeons can help with a procedure called surgically assisted tooth eruption.

What is an impacted tooth?

An impacted tooth is one that has not erupted, or fails to fully pass through the gum tissue. This can be a result of many things like dense soft tissue, bone, cysts, or tooth malposition. If the tooth fails to emerge in the mouth, it is considered to be impacted.

What is Surgically Assisted Tooth Eruption?

With or without necessary spacing, some teeth, particularly the canines or eyeteeth, may be impacted so much so that they will not erupt without assistance from an oral surgeon. With combined efforts, Dr. McCord and the Cleveland TN Ocoee Oral Surgery staff can surgically assist in tooth eruption, exposure, and bonding for your individual treatment and oral care. And it’s not as scary as it may sound.

What is tooth exposure?

Tooth exposure is a simple surgical procedure where the gum is lifted from the impacted tooth to expose the covered tooth, assisting the tooth’s eruption. If a baby tooth is still present, it can easily be removed during the procedure. Exposing the tooth makes it eligible for an orthodontic bracket to be attached, which can then be used to slowly encourage the tooth as it comes down and moves into place.

How long does impacted canine surgery take?

This oral surgery procedure is fairly non-invasive and generally takes anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. After anesthesia is administered and/or the area is numbed, your Cleveland oral surgeon will remove a small piece of gum tissue to uncover the impacted tooth.

Impacted canines or eyeteeth can be gently pulled down with an orthodontic attachment after oral surgery.

What to expect after surgery:

After your impacted tooth is uncovered, it is normal to have some minor bleeding in the first 12 to 24 hours. You should also expect moderate pain and discomfort for 2 to 3 days after the procedure, which can be controlled with over-the-counter pain relievers. Infection, though uncommon, can develop in the days following surgery, and if you suspect that you’re experiencing symptoms of an infection, get in touch with us at Ocoee Oral so we can treat it. But all in all, just rest and let your body do the healing!

Schedule an Appointment

If you or your child has been advised by an orthodontist to have a tooth uncovered by surgically assisted tooth eruption, we’d love to take care of you. Our skilled staff can answer any questions about the procedure, and will do whatever it takes to ease your mind about it. Our incredible oral surgeons are up to the task, and are among the best in the Cleveland and Chattanooga areas. Get in touch today to set up an appointment. We look forward to serving you.