Oral Surgery
Oral and maxillofacial surgery treats diseases, injuries, and defects in the hard and soft tissues of the mouth, jaw, and face. This solution is often the key to addressing irregularities in the jaw, bone, or teeth that have failed to respond to non-invasive treatments. At Burba Dental Partners in Salem, we utilize oral surgery to restore both function and appearance when traditional dental treatments are not enough.
Tooth Extractions
While wisdom teeth are well-known for needing removal, a tooth extraction can be an essential tool for maintaining your overall dental health, relieving pain, and improving mouth function. At Burba Dental Partners in Salem, we typically recommend an extraction when a tooth has suffered irreparable damage from trauma or deep decay, or when severe infection threatens to spread past the tooth's inner pulp. Extractions are also common to address overcrowding, give teeth the necessary room to move during orthodontic braces, or to protect immunocompromised patients who face a high risk of systemic infection.
When Is a Tooth Extraction Necessary?
While the primary goal of modern dentistry is always to preserve your natural smile, certain circumstances make a tooth extraction the safest and most effective option to protect your overall oral health. Removing a tooth becomes necessary when severe trauma from an accident, extreme decay, or advanced gum disease leaves the tooth structurally unstable and beyond the help of restorative fillings, crowns, or root canals. Each tooth has a limit to how many times it can be treated before it begins to fail, and trying to save a deeply compromised tooth can put your health at further risk. Leaving a chronically infected tooth in the mouth allows dangerous bacteria to spread to the surrounding teeth and jawbone. Furthermore, research shows that chronic dental infections can cause inflammation that contributes to serious systemic conditions like cardiovascular disease and stroke, making a timely extraction essential for your total well-being.
Wisdom Teeth Removal
"Wisdom teeth" is the common term for the third set of molars that grow in the very back of the mouth. They typically emerge during young adulthood, generally between the ages of 17 and 21. At Burba Dental Partners in Salem, we provide safe, gentle wisdom teeth extractions to protect your comfort and oral health. To ensure a stress-free experience, your journey begins with a comprehensive consultation to review your medical history and address any anxieties. During the procedure, we utilize local anesthetics to ensure you are completely numb and comfortable as the tooth is precisely removed, and we provide a customized recovery plan to ensure you heal safely.
Why Wisdom Teeth Extractions Are Necessary
While properly aligned wisdom teeth can assist with chewing, they frequently lack adequate space to emerge correctly, turning their arrival into an uncomfortable process. When there isn't enough room in the jaw, the wisdom teeth can become severely misaligned or completely "impacted", meaning they are trapped beneath the gum tissue or bone. Left untreated, these problematic molars can trigger intense pain, cause severe crowding, damage neighboring teeth, and lead to serious dental complications such as cysts, tumors, gum disease, and deep tooth decay. Strategic extraction eliminates these risks, relieves persistent pressure, and successfully preserves the long-term health and alignment of your smile.
Bone Grafts For Dental Implants
When a tooth is lost, the underlying jawbone loses the vital stimulation it receives from chewing and naturally begins to deteriorate over time. A bone graft, or bone augmentation, resolves this by rebuilding lost bone density and thickness to create a solid, secure foundation for a future dental implant. By evaluating your jaw through X-rays and digital exams, the team at Burba Dental Partners can determine if a graft is necessary to strengthen thin or soft bone, ensuring your implant successfully fuses for a lifetime of support.
Our experienced team provides compassionate, comprehensive care throughout your entire implant journey. While minor post-procedure swelling or bruising is normal, recovery is smooth when paired with soft foods and gentle brushing. For full-mouth restorations where low bone density is an issue, alternative options like an All-On-4® may also be considered.
- Oral Surgery FAQs -
Is The Recovery Period Painful After Oral Surgery?
It is completely normal to feel some mild tenderness, localized pressure, or slight swelling once your anesthesia wears off, but it shouldn't feel overwhelming. We are here to make sure your recovery is as smooth and gentle as possible! For most routine surgeries, any major tenderness steadily and beautifully declines after the first three days, letting you get back to feeling like yourself.
How Is Post-Operative Discomfort Managed?
Most post-operative discomfort is wonderfully easy to manage right from the comfort of your home! Simple over-the-counter pain relievers and a cozy ice pack applied to your cheek work wonders for minimizing early swelling and tenderness. If your procedure is a bit more complex, our team will happily provide you with tailored recovery recommendations or prescription options to ensure you can rest easily and heal comfortably.
Do Wisdom Teeth Always Need To Be Removed?
Not always! Your wisdom teeth can happily stay right where they are if they grow in completely healthy, properly aligned, and are easy for you to clean. However, if they don't have enough room to emerge properly, which can cause alignment issues, create hidden spaces for bacteria, or cause pressure in your jaw, removing them is the best way to protect your surrounding teeth. While we love to evaluate wisdom teeth during young adulthood because the roots are still developing, they can be safely and comfortably removed at absolutely any age to keep your smile feeling its best.
Why Is It So Important To Avoid Smoking & Using Straws After Surgery?
After a tooth extraction, your body naturally forms a special blood clot in the healing space. Think of this clot as a built-in, protective blanket that shields the sensitive bone and nerve endings underneath so new tissue can grow beautifully. Using a straw, spitting forcefully, or smoking creates a vacuum effect in your mouth that can accidentally dislodge this important clot, leading to a temporary and uncomfortable condition known as a "dry socket." Keeping things gentle for the first week is the best way to ensure quick, uninterrupted natural healing!
When Can I Return To My Normal Diet After Oral Surgery?
We want to give your smile plenty of time to rest and heal! For the first 24 to 48 hours, stick to cool liquids and wonderful soft foods like smoothies, yogurt, pudding, or applesauce. On day three, you can gradually introduce low-chew comfort foods like scrambled eggs, flaky fish, or pasta. To protect the area, please chew on the opposite side of your mouth and avoid hot, spicy, crunchy, or acidic foods for the first week. Most patients enjoy a completely normal return to their regular diet after about seven days!
How Long Will Facial Swelling Or Bruising Last?
Mild swelling is simply a sign of your body’s natural defense system working hard to heal the area! Swelling typically peaks within the first 24 to 48 hours and then gradually fades over the next five to seven days. As the swelling subsides, you might notice some minor, colorful bruising along your jawline, this is completely normal and will fade away gracefully, usually disappearing entirely by the 10-day mark.
Will I Need To Come Back For A Follow-Up Appointment?
This depends entirely on the type of procedure you have and how quickly your smile likes to heal! For many routine treatments, a simple phone check-in from our team is all you need. For more involved surgeries or bone grafts, we will schedule a brief, comforting follow-up visit to take a look, ensure the area is healing beautifully, and answer any questions you might have as you get back to 100%.
When Is Oral Surgery Recommended?
While our primary goal is always to protect and preserve your natural smile, oral surgery is a wonderful, highly effective way to restore health, comfort, and function to your mouth when more routine treatments aren't quite enough. We often recommend oral surgery for specialized care, such as placing dental implants, performing routine bone grafts to strengthen your jaw, or correcting issues like severe TMJ discomfort. Ultimately, oral surgery is about giving you long-term relief and creating a healthy, pain-free foundation so you can smile, chew, and speak with total confidence.
How Long Does It Take For An Extraction Site To Completely Heal?
You will notice the outer gum tissue beautifully closing up and smoothing over within about two weeks after your appointment, allowing you to eat and speak with total ease. Beneath the surface, your body quietly continues its amazing work, taking about three to six months to fully regrow and strengthen the jawbone. This underlying healing is completely unnoticeable to you, but it creates a perfectly strong, healthy foundation for your smile.
When Is A Tooth Extraction Necessary?
A gentle tooth extraction becomes the absolute healthiest choice for your smile if a tooth has experienced deep decay, a severe crack, or trauma that can no longer be repaired with a restorative treatment like a filling or a crown. Extractions are also highly beneficial for relieving the painful pressure of overcrowded teeth, or for safely creating the perfect amount of space needed for a stunning orthodontic transformation.
- Burba Dental Partners -
Changing Lives One Smile At A Time.
When dealing with deep dental decay, severe trauma, or missing teeth, putting off treatment can cause symptoms to worsen and lead to more complex issues down the road. Taking action as soon as possible allows our skilled team to provide the precise, professional care you need to finally live pain-free. Whether you require a necessary tooth extraction to relieve discomfort and protect your remaining smile, or a specialized bone grafting procedure to build a strong foundation for future dental implants, Burba Dental Partners is here to guide you through every step of a smooth, comfortable recovery. You don't have to live with dental pain or a compromised bite. Call us today at(978) 744-7575
or
schedule a consultation online!
