To maintain ideal oral health, brushing your teeth every day is just a start. A good home dental hygiene regimen is important to helping your teeth stay clean and cavity free. However, there are some services only a dentist can provide. Visiting your dentist every six months is recommended. These visits ensure that you are maintaining the best oral health and are preventing the development of gum disease. Bi-annual check-ups are great for getting your teeth deep cleaned and ensuring that you aren’t facing any larger dental issues. Additionally though, there are some problems that may require the services of an oral surgeon.
Being referred to an oral surgeon doesn’t necessarily mean you are facing oral surgery. There are plenty of reasons why your dental hygienist may want you to visit with one of these highly skilled dental specialists.
Here are a few of the most common reasons why you may get referred to an oral surgeon after a routine trip to the dentist:
- A tooth extraction looks necessary. You may need a tooth extraction for a number of reasons. While tooth decay is definitely among those reasons, it is far from the only reason a tooth extraction may be necessary. In fact, there are many alternative treatments for tooth decay that may make an extraction unnecessary. However, if there is a wisdom tooth or other impacted tooth that is damaging the gums, an extraction is necessary.
- You need a dental implant. Like bone grafts, dental implants aren’t things a dental hygienist can always provide. There may be someone within your dental office who can help with a dental implant, but in many cases, a dental hygienist will refer you to a specialist. They will point you to a partnering oral surgeon for this type of service. A dental implant also helps to strengthen the foundation of the tooth. Instead of using other methods to improve the strength of your actual bones, this strategy uses titanium to strengthen the jawbone.
- A need for jaw surgery. While it isn’t a procedure that gets a lot of attention, a sinus lift is actually a common procedure that can help to reduce oral pain. When an upper jaw implant is necessary, it is often required that the sinuses are lifted. This is done prior to the jaw implant to create enough room for the jaw replacement. Any of these types of procedures will require the expertise and care of an oral surgeon.
- An underlying concern with your jaw. Sometimes the teeth are not the actual cause of oral pain. Underlying jaw issues can be to blame. There is a wide array of potential jaw concerns that may require the attention and services of an oral surgeon. Working with an oral surgeon can help address an infection. This could be in the jaw bone, a problem with the joint of the jaw, the development of a tumor or cyst, or any other jaw issue.
- A need for bone grafts. If your dentist believes a tooth replacement is necessary, the quality and strength of the bone along your jaw needs to be assessed. A thicker and stronger bone may be necessary, and this would require a bone graft. An oral surgeon has resources to strengthen bones to make replacing a tooth easier.
There are many reasons as to why your dental hygienist may recommend you visit an oral surgeon for optimal dental health. Sometimes meeting with our experts at Sunrise Oral Surgery, may lead to confirmation of the need for surgery. However, quite often this initial visit is simply for a consultation. If there is a concern, it is something that is monitored before surgical intervention is even recommended.
If you are experiencing any tooth pain or oral discomfort, then consulting with your dentist right away is the best course of action. Your dentist may think you could benefit from the support of an oral surgeon. You may be referred for further assessment. For more information, talk to your dentist or contact us at Sunrise Oral Surgery today.
