Oral Surgery in Seattle, WA - Seattle Oral Care

If you’ve ever broken a tooth or experienced pain from an infection, you know how unsettling and disruptive these situations can be. Thankfully, a variety of specialized dental services can provide solutions and improve the situation.

Among these services is oral surgery, which focuses on surgical procedures performed in the mouth. If you need oral surgery to repair your teeth or gums, visit our dentists at Seattle Oral Care for expert care.

What is Oral Surgery?

Oral surgery is the branch of dentistry that deals with diagnosing, treating, and preventing diseases, disorders, and conditions affecting the teeth and surrounding tissues of the mouth. It involves the removal of tissues in and around the mouth, such as bone, teeth, gums, and parts of the salivary glands.

In short, it is the use of surgery to treat diseases of the mouth and structures near it.

Types of Oral Surgery

Extraction

Extracting a tooth is usually the only treatment option when a tooth is severely damaged or decayed. If you have multiple cavities or other dental issues that can't be treated, your dentist may recommend having these teeth removed.

Surgery

Your dentist may recommend surgery to repair a tooth that's been severely damaged. For example, you may need a root canal or other surgery if you've developed an infection in the nerve of a tooth that's not been treated in time. 

Gingivectomy

A gingivectomy is the removal of gingival tissue, which is the soft tissue that surrounds the teeth. Your dentist may recommend the procedure if you have gum disease that can't be treated with daily brushing and flossing.

Why is oral surgery necessary?

The procedure may be necessary for a number of reasons:

• The tooth has been fractured, and there is a risk of the fracture worsening and infection setting in.
• The area needs to be cleaned or disinfected due to an infection.
• The tooth needs to be removed to prevent further damage.
• The tooth should be treated to prevent further deterioration.
• The tooth is positioned in an abnormal location and needs to be repositioned.

Pre-operative care

The first step in preparing for oral surgery is to discuss your concerns with the dentist, who will guide you through the preparation process. Daily hygiene of the mouth and tongue will be essential to prevent infection.

A few days before your surgery, you shouldn't drink alcohol, eat hot or spicy foods, drink coffee, or use tobacco. You should also avoid taking aspirin and ibuprofen.

Aftercare and recovery

After the surgery, you should follow your dentist's instructions concerning rest and eating soft, easy-to-swallow food. You should also apply ice packs to the area around the surgery site to reduce swelling and pain. If you have stitches, they should be removed after 10–14 days.

You can use over-the-counter pain medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen to reduce pain and swelling. You can return to your regular oral hygiene routine after a few days, but you should be careful not to disturb the area, and you may need to modify your technique.

You should see your dentist immediately if you have severe bleeding, swelling, bad breath, trouble eating, trouble opening your mouth, or a high temperature.

FAQs

Is mouth surgery painful?

Mouth surgery is rarely painful. Most people feel a little sore afterward, but this usually goes away after a few days. Talk to your dentist if you have difficulty sleeping due to pain or mouth sores.

They may recommend taking pain relievers before bedtime to help you sleep better. There is a slight chance that mouth surgery may be painful, but this is unlikely unless the procedure involves removing a large piece of gum or bone from your mouth.

How long does dental surgery take?

It generally takes between half an hour and three hours to complete a dental procedure. The length of surgery depends on many factors, including how complex the procedure is and how much surrounding tissue must be removed.

Dental surgery is often more complicated than most people realize. Not only do they have to cut away areas of the mouth that require repair, but they also have to minimize any damage to surrounding tissue and blood vessels while working.

How long does it take to recover from oral surgery?

Oral surgeries can cause several complications, so following your physician’s instructions for recovery as closely as possible is essential. Most oral surgeries take about 2-3 weeks to fully recover from, depending on the type of procedure you are undergoing.

For example, a wisdom tooth extraction typically takes 8–10 days to fully recover from, while an oral cancer surgery will take longer (about four weeks) to heal fully. While recovering from your oral surgery, you must keep your head elevated and stay hydrated with plenty of water.

You may experience some swelling or bruising after the surgery, but this should fade over time.

The Seattle Oral Care Difference

Our Patient First concept at Seattle Oral Care means that we listen to and understand your condition, educate you on other solutions, and treat your concerns for a happy and healthy you.

We also want to ensure that each customer has a positive experience throughout the process. We treat each customer like family and go out of our way to guarantee they are satisfied with the outcome. To improve your quality of life, we pay attention to the whole process, from the first visit to the care you get after treatment.

If you're ready to smile with confidence, give us a call now to set up an appointment!