Dental surgery may sound intimidating. It usually is recommended by a general dentist, and can seem scary. It often requires sedation. However, the doctors providing these treatment have gone to years and years of specialty school and extensive training. They are professionals and you can trust that if your Natick MA dentistry pros have referred you, then you are in safe hands. Most dental surgeries are common, planned, and non-emergent.
What is dental surgery?
Dental surgery is a very broad term, it involved anything that requires the medical intervention of the teeth, jaw, and or gums.
What are some of the procedures Dental Surgeons do?
- Wisdom teeth removal
- Impacted tooth removal
- Dental Implants
- Unequal jaw growth treatment and or repair
- Cleft lip and palate repair
- Facial injury repair
- Facial infection drainage
- Snoring/Sleep Apnea treatment
How can I prepare for dental surgery?
The most common procedures for dental surgeons are wisdom teeth removal, dental implants, and impacted tooth removal. These are planned procedures, where you will have advanced notice and be able to prepare for the appointments. Here are some ideas for how to be best prepared for your upcoming dental surgery:
- Call and book your appointment.
- Confirm your appointment.
- Brush your teeth (unless otherwise instructed not to) prior to your appointment.
- If your dentist or your surgeon has prescribed any medication for you to take prior to your appointment, follow those instructions carefully.
- Bring ID and insurance cards if applicable.
- You will not be able to drive yourself home following dental surgery, ensure that you have a ride and someone to help care for you during your recovery.
What is recovery from dental surgery like?
Much of your recovery will depend upon the procedure you had done. But for almost all of these procedures, you can expect a few things. You have likely been under sedation, so you will need a ride home from your procedure and you will likely want a caretaker for the next 24-48 hours.
You can expect to feel nausea and will likely want to spend the rest of the day in bed. Following many of these procedures ice packs should be used to minimize swelling and discomfort. Most surgeons ask that you do not lay flat for several days and will give specific instructions for brushing/cleaning your mouth following surgery. Your surgeon will also likely prescribe antibiotics and pain medication as well. Take the antibiotics exactly as instructed, and the pain medication as needed (but never in excess of the prescribed amount).
If you have had teeth removed, you will likely want to eat soft foods for some time following your surgery. Strenuous exercise may also be prohibited for some time as this can increase blood flow and disrupt healing. Following many oral surgeries, you will not be permitted to use a straw, as the suction needed to drink can disrupt blood clotting or aggravate the surgical area.
As mentioned before, dental surgery can seem overwhelming or intimidating, but you can rest assured that whatever your procedure, you can trust that the practitioners will do everything in their power to make the experience as pain free and comfortable as possible.