ntists offer basic oral surgery procedures, like extracting impacted teeth and inserting dental implants, but oral surgeons take it a step further, with advanced training for any procedure that involves cutting into gum tissue or working on jawbone.

Surgery may be performed using local anesthesia, sedation or general anesthesia; depending on which option is chosen, you may require someone else to drive you home afterward.
Implants

Implants are titanium replacement tooth roots designed to integrate with your natural jaw bone through osseointegration, providing an excellent way to replace missing teeth or anchor fixed bridges or removable dentures. They can be used either as individual tooth replacements or multiple replacements, depending on what the circumstances dictate.

Before receiving an implant, patients must first be evaluated for oral and general health. Individuals suffering from uncontrolled chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer or long-term use of steroids may experience slower healing of implants after installation.

An implant surgery requires either local anesthetics or sedation for preparation, with stitches typically dissolving in time for removal in a follow-up visit to your dentist's office and an abutment being installed which connects the implant with its artificial counterpart.
Bone Grafts

Bone grafts can be utilized when there is insufficient bone tissue in an area of missing tooth or severe gum disease, to counteract natural jawbone resorption that occurs after tooth extraction and allow dental implant surgery to proceed at later dates.

Your dentist will numb the area and remove some bone either from another part of your mouth or body (autograft), or from an animal tissue bank (allograft). A barrier membrane may be applied over the new bone while it heals.

If too much bone has been lost, a sinus lift or ridge preservation procedure may be performed to preserve existing structure. A block of bone from either the chin or back jaw will then be moved into an area where an implant will go in.
Extractions

Not all dental extractions require surgical extraction; while most can be completed under local anesthesia. This could include wisdom teeth that require extraction due to being impacted or having abnormalities like curved roots; this may also occur if conditions such as increased bone density or tooth clenching/grinding prevent the extraction process from being successful.

An outpatient surgical extraction entails steps such as raising a gum tissue flap, extracting bone tissue and sectioning the tooth. These extra steps enable dentists to access and extract teeth more easily without exerting excessive forces that may break roots or bones; it also decreases postextraction complications like socket-clot dislodgement, delayed healing or splinting adjacent teeth more likely than otherwise.
Reconstructive Surgery

Oral surgeons are equipped to assess the extent of damage incurred from tooth infection, an accident or trauma, periodontal disease or any other dental issues; and provide customized treatments plans designed to repair that damage.

Reconstructive dentistry using tissue and bone from other areas of the mouth or body, commonly referred to as free flap surgery, utilizes complex microsurgical techniques for reconstructive purposes. This type of surgery utilizes cutting and sewing together blood vessels under microscope to reestablish blood flow to the tissue graft graft.

Mercy Health oral surgeons specialize in reconstructive facial surgery to address facial injuries and deformities, restore structural integrity to fractured jaws and install dental implants. If necessary, our oral surgeons may also perform nasal reconstruction surgery in order to address breathing problems caused by previous surgeries, nasal defects or congenital conditions.
Cosmetic Surgery

Cosmetic surgery aims to enhance the appearance of teeth and gums for aesthetic reasons, with treatment helping improve self-esteem in its recipients. Contrary to restorative dentistry procedures, however, most cosmetic procedures typically aren't covered by dental insurance plans.