Oral surgery can be intimidating, but the Sleep Dentistry of Portland dentists provide surgical dental services that prioritize your comfort to make surgery quick and painless. We do this by utilizing new technology to streamline surgical processes.
If you’re considering undergoing oral surgery procedures—such as dental implants or cosmetic dentistry—you should choose a dentist you trust and who has extensive training in these procedures. Our Portland, OR dentists have been providing surgical dentistry for more than 40 years. Additionally, sedation is available for all types of surgeries; from dental implants to cosmetic endodontic procedures and more. Our options include nitrous oxide, oral sedation, IV sedation and general anesthesia.
Wisdom Tooth Removal
Wisdom teeth are the third molars on the left and right of both the top and bottom jaws. Most people have four, but some patients may have fewer or more wisdom teeth.
Appearing later than other adult teeth, it is common for wisdom teeth to cause overcrowding, come in behind another tooth, emerge at an incorrect angle or not have enough room, causing substantial pain or pressure. Wisdom teeth can cause orthodontic issues. Hard-to-brush molars are also at much greater risk of tooth decay and infection.
Because of crowding and infection risks, our dentists may recommend that one or more wisdom teeth be removed. Overall, removing wisdom teeth is a very normal procedure that benefits many patients. This procedure usually requires a surgical extraction, and when they become stuck in the jawbone, more complicated partial-bony or full-bony extractions may be needed.
Sleep Dentistry of Portland provides all types of extractions with optional sedation and without the need for a referral to an oral surgeon.
Keeping an eye on wisdom teeth is an important part of early adulthood because removal is easiest and healing is quickest before age 20. This surgery also is available for adults with third molars that become problematic.
Wisdom teeth removal requires a few days for recovery, so most school breaks are a good time to schedule this surgery.
Tooth Extractions
Tooth extractions are commonly referred to as having a tooth pulled. They can be performed with local anesthetic alongside different sedation options. Sleep Dentistry of Portland prioritizes your comfort during treatment and provides all types of extractions.
- Routine extractions are done if there is room to grip the tooth and gently loosen the root enough to remove it without the need to alter the tissue.
- Surgical extractions are called for when tissue is in the way of removing the tooth and incisions are required, and some bone may need to be removed.
Wisdom teeth may be stuck in the jaw bone and require partial-bony or full-bony extractions.
Teeth may require extraction for many reasons.
- Damaged teeth may need to be extracted if restoration is otherwise impossible or impractical. This is often caused by tooth decay so severe that other treatments cannot rescue a tooth from an abscess or prevent future infection.
- Impacted teeth are blocked from growing into the right position by other teeth, bone, or gum tissue. Extraction prevents them from erupting at incorrect angles or pushing aside or damaging adjacent teeth. This situation is common with wisdom teeth.
- Overcrowded and crooked teeth may need to be extracted before orthodontic treatment straightens the remaining teeth.
Optional IV sedation during an extraction allows Sleep Dentistry of Portland to administer medication to help manage your comfort during and immediately after your procedure.
Once recovery is complete, Sleep Dentistry of Portland has many options to replace one or more extracted teeth; this includes the following:
- Full and partial dentures
- Fixed bridges
- Dental implants
- Full-mouth reconstruction