Oral Surgery
Even if you take good care of your oral health, you might find yourself needing oral surgery at some point. At our Maroubra Junction, NSW dental clinic, you will be in good hands with Dr Emmanuel Pertsoulis. He can perform minor oral surgery and wisdom teeth extraction right here where you get the rest of your dental care.
Types of Oral Surgery
Tooth Extraction
Although we always do our best to save your tooth whenever possible, sometimes damage or decay is too far advanced, and extraction is the best option for your overall oral health. If a tooth is badly infected, not removing it risks the spread of infection to your healthy teeth.
We can also advise you on tooth replacement options after the procedure, including dental implants and dental bridges.
Bone Grafting
Patients who want dental implants but who might have already suffered bone loss may not have a strong enough jawbone to support the implants. Through a surgical procedure called ‘bone grafting,’ the jawbone is strengthened with donor material. After healing, the rebuilt bone should be strong enough to support the implant.
Wisdom Teeth Extraction
Most adults have 28 teeth, plus four wisdom teeth. These large molars at the very back of the mouth are usually the last to come in and often don’t appear until the late teens or early twenties—or even later. If there is room for these teeth, they might erupt just fine, causing only minor discomfort. But sometimes there isn’t enough space in the jawbone for these teeth to erupt comfortably, and they can cause issues. This latter situation is described as ‘impaction.’
In many cases, the best course of action is to remove the wisdom teeth to avoid problems.
Post-Operative Care to Help Ensure Healthy Healing
Your mouth might still fill numb after your procedure, so take care not to bite your tongue or the inside of your cheek. Stick to lukewarm liquids rather than hot to avoid burns.
One of the most crucial aspects of healing after extraction is the blood clot that will form in the socket where the tooth used to be. It is important that this clot not be disturbed, so you should avoid vigorous rinsing or touching the site with your tongue or finger. Dislodging the clot can result in a painful condition called ‘dry socket,’ which may disrupt the healing process.
We advise patients to abstain from smoking and drinking alcohol for at least 24 hours after the procedure as these can inhibit the healing process.
If the surgery or extraction site starts to bleed after you have left our dental clinic, we recommend placing a clean tissue or cloth over the site and biting down to apply pressure. If this does not put an end to the bleeding, you should give us a call for further advice.
For any post-procedure discomfort, you can use a household painkiller such as paracetamol. Avoid aspirin as this can promote bleeding at the surgical site.
Learn More by Contacting Our Maroubra Junction, NSW Dental Surgery
If you find yourself facing oral surgery or wisdom teeth extraction, you can have confidence in the experience of Dr Pertsoulis for a comfortable procedure.