Wisdom Teeth Extractions

While many patients do not experience problems with their wisdom teeth when they begin to emerge between the ages of 17 and 25, many others find that theirs must be removed. Wisdom teeth are usually removed because they become impacted, which means that the tooth does not have enough room to come in straight through the gums and instead emerges at an angle. This can cause pain, damage to the jaw and a more crooked smile due to crowding. Additionally, the site of impaction can become a bacterial hotspot since impacted wisdom teeth are hard to clean.

If your mouth does not have enough room for your wisdom teeth to come in, a wisdom tooth extraction is necessary, and at our teams at our offices throughout the Philadelphia, PA area can determine whether a wisdom tooth extraction is the best course of action for you.

Wisdom teeth extractions can range from removing a single tooth to removing all four teeth at once. Your doctor at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania will let you know what they think is best for you. For the procedure, your doctor will use either a local anesthetic to numb the area or a general anesthetic to sedate you while the teeth are extracted. The tooth will then be accessed through an incision in the gums and wiggled until it is loose enough to be lifted out. If the tooth is too deeply embedded to be removed this way, it will be broken up into pieces before being removed.

Whether you are already feeling pain due to impacted wisdom teeth or have not yet felt them come in, we can determine if your wisdom teeth will cause problems for you. To schedule an appointment with us at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, visit our website www.oralsurgerypa.com. 

Dental Hygiene

Proper dental hygiene is very important to us here at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, which is why we encourage all of our patients to pay close attention to their oral health. Oral hygiene not only affects dental health, but the patient’s overall health as well.

With regular home care, our patients can have teeth that are free of debris and bacteria, better smelling breath, and healthier teeth overall. It helps them battle gum disease, infection, and prevents possible procedures as a result of tooth decay.

We recommend the following practices for dental hygiene and periodontal health:

 

• Brush their teeth twice a day, for at least two minutes each time.


• Floss their teeth at least once a day.


• Use toothpaste and mouthwash that contains fluoride.


• Eat a healthy diet with minimal snacks and sugar-filled choices.


• Drink plenty of water and decreasing soda, coffee and wine.


• Visit your general dentist twice a year for a check-up and professional cleaning

 

With these simple daily practices, patients stand to have a healthier mouth and better overall health. They are taking good care of their teeth in between visits, and seeing us regularly to assess the health of their mouth and provide more education for good dental hygiene. 

Dental Hygiene

Proper dental hygiene is very important to us here at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, which is why we encourage all of our patients to pay close attention to their oral health. Oral hygiene not only affects dental health, but the patient’s overall health as well.

 

With regular home care, our patients can have teeth that are free of debris and bacteria, better smelling breath, and healthier teeth overall. It helps them battle gum disease, infection, and prevents possible procedures as a result of tooth decay.

 

We recommend the following practices for dental hygiene and periodontal health:

• Brush their teeth twice a day, for at least two minutes each time.
• Floss their teeth at least once a day.
• Use toothpaste and mouthwash that contains fluoride.
• Eat a healthy diet with minimal snacks and sugar-filled choices.
• Drink plenty of water and decreasing soda, coffee and wine.
• Visit your general dentist twice a year for a check-up and professional cleaning

With these simple daily practices, patients stand to have a healthier mouth and better overall health. They are taking good care of their teeth in between visits, and seeing us regularly to assess the health of their mouth and provide more education for good dental hygiene. 

ALVEOLOPLAST

An alveoplasty is a type of surgery that smooths the jawbone. This procedure is done in areas where teeth have been removed or lost. Alveoplasty can be done alone, but is usually done at the same time that teeth are extracted. We perform this procedure in each of our Philadelphia, PA area offices and offer anesthetic options for patients who suffer from dental phobia.

 

At Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, we recommend this procedure to our patients who have recently had several teeth extracted. When you have a tooth removed, there is a hole left in the jawbone. An alveoplasty allows the gums to be stitched closed over the hole. When your dentist at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania removes a tooth, he or she leaves an open socket that fills with a blood clot.

 

After the gums have healed, there are often high and low points in the bone that can make it difficult to fit a denture or implant properly. We use this procedure to smooth lumps in the jawbone or to flatten or taper the jaw's ridge. Besides smoothing the jawbone, alveoplasty also speeds healing after multiple teeth are extracted.

 

If you are thinking about getting an alveoplasty and have questions about procedures that must be performed for you, do call us directly at 215-463-4141.

Dental Implants

Do you have a missing tooth?  Whether your smile gap is accidental or your tooth has been extracted, it’s still important to have your smile restored.  Dental implants are one of the best ways to restore the natural look and feel of your smile.  Compared to other tooth prosthetics, dental implants have unique advantages that set them above the rest. 

 

If you are not sure which dental restoration is best for your smile, our team here at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania is always happy to help.  Just arrange an appointment at our office for a consultation.  For many patients, dental implants have proven to be a successful restoration with a number of benefits:

• There is no need to modify the surrounding teeth or rely on adjacent teeth for support.  Dental implants stand alone.
• They can be placed anywhere within the mouth, serving as a great replacement for teeth in the front or back of your smile. 
• Dental implants can be used to restore a single tooth, or entire rows of teeth through multiple implants.
• They provide patients with a natural look and feel that makes the restorative indistinguishable from the rest of your smile.
• Dental implants are designed to last a lifetime with regular brushing, flossing and dental checkups

Frenectomy

At Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, our team regularly performs restorative surgical procedures. A common procedure we perform is a frenectomy. Simply put, a frenectomy is a procedure to remove the frenum, or muscular attachment between two tissues, from the mouth. This naturally occurring muscle attachment is normally seen between the front teeth (either upper or lower) and it connects the inner aspect of the lip with the gum.

 

Most patients who come to us for a frenectomy have enlarged frena beneath their tongues. This prevents their tongue from moving freely and can interfere with speech due to limited tongue mobility. A lingual frenectomy will remove the fold of tissue so your tongue can once again move freely. This is mostly seen in children who suffer from the following symptoms:

• Trouble feeding
• Difficulty speaking
• Lack of ability to extend tongue out of their mouth
• The frenum pulling child’s gum tissue away from the lower front teeth

There are times where the frenum is attached between the two upper front teeth. In order to remove it, a procedure called a labial frenectomy is performed. This condition is usually seen in children after their permanent upper front teeth have erupted in their mouths.

 

Visit us in our Philadelphia, Clifton Heights, or Folsom, PA location to learn more about this procedure and whether or not you are in need of it. For more information about this procedure, please visit www.oralsurgerypa.com. 

How Smoking Affects Post Op Extractions

Following a tooth extraction, the mouth should be carefully protected to minimize any risk of complications or compromise in healing.  This is an especially important consideration for smokers. Smoking cigarettes within the first forty-eight hours of a tooth extraction could increase the risk of treatment site complications, including the development of a dry socket, or alveolar osteitis. The risk is greatly increased within the first few hours of the post op, so it’s best to avoid cigarettes for as long as possible.

 

While tobacco can be harmful to long term oral health, the immediate issue of smoking after an extraction is the inhaling and pressure in the mouth that occurs in the physical act of smoking.  This can worsen pain and complicate healing. If you cannot go for an extended time without a cigarette, it may be best to prepare for your extraction procedure and post op by using a nicotine patch several days prior to your appointment.

 

For complete information on how you can prepare for your extraction and ensure a speedy, healthy recovery, visit our website, www.oralsurgerypa.com.