The purpose of oral surgery is to address conditions impacting your jaw joint, teeth, or overall oral health. It’s a special subset of dentistry that requires additional training and education. Oral surgeons can perform several types of procedures, most commonly tooth removal, jaw surgery, and dental implant insertion.
Enjoy a gentle approach to your dental surgery needs with our oral surgeon in Charleston! Schedule a consultation with Carolina Family Dentistry today.
Tooth Removal
Tooth extraction is one of the most frequently performed types of oral surgery. While we always consider repair before removal, teeth that are severely decayed, infected, or disrupting alignment may require extraction. To keep you comfortable during the procedure, we use local anesthetic and may also consider sedation dentistry options. To protect your long-term health, bone grafting is required in some situations.
Jaw Surgery
Another oral surgery service is jaw surgery, which is done to address jaw joint function or alignment. In severe cases, jaw surgery might be necessary to help improve bite misalignment, TMJ disorder, or sleep apnea. Due to its complexity, jaw surgery often requires substantial recovery afterward.
Dental Implants
Dental implants are an increasingly popular tooth replacement solution that requires oral surgery for the implant installation. The implant, a tiny titanium screw, is secured directly into the jawbone. An abutment will be attached to the implant, which will then hold the final crown, bridge, or dentures. While the recovery length depends on the patient’s dental health, number/location of implants, and overall health, it often takes a few months.
At Carolina Family Dentistry in Charleston, we can handle the implant process from start to finish. Contact our dentist in Charleston, SC, today.
Oral Surgery After Care Instructions
After having oral surgery, you can expect bleeding or “oozing” within the first 12 to 24 hours as well as some swelling and discomfort within the first five days following the procedure. If bleeding persists, we recommend biting on some gauze for at least two hours and avoiding excessive spitting or sucking.
If the bleeding becomes excessive and cannot be controlled, contact Dr. Banik immediately. In addition to taking any pain medication as directed, we recommend avoiding smoking until the healing process is complete. Dr. Banik also asks patients to stay away from physical activity for at least 48 hours and maintain a healthy intake of soft foods and lots of liquids (at least 2 quarts a day).
Swelling can be controlled with a cold compress used every half hour for the first 8 to 12 hours. If swelling continues to spread and becomes excessive after 48 hours, contact Dr. Banik immediately. In the days following your surgery, we also suggest:
- Brushing teeth carefully, avoiding the surgery area for at least 3-5 days.
- Rinsing with warm saltwater 3-5 times a day for 7 days after the surgery.
- Taking ALL of your prescribed medication until it is finished.
- If sutures were used, returning to our office in 5 to 7 days for removal.
- Paying attention to any dry sockets that may develop. (If they do, look to increase pain medication and, if necessary, contact our office).
- Calling 911 immediately if the patient becomes unconscious, has a serious reaction to a medication, or cannot be woken.
Make an appointment with Carolina Family Dentistry to learn more about oral surgery services in Charleston.
