Oral Surgery in New York & New Jersey

Protecting The Oral Health of Our Patients Since 2015

Our oral surgeon is highly trained in the interaction between oral health and systemic health, enabling them to recommend the best treatments for problems requiring mouth or jaw surgery. Whether you’ve experienced an injury or ailment that requires surgical repair, or you have a malformation that needs functional or aesthetic reconstruction, we can create a surgical treatment plan that meets your needs.

Different Types of Oral Surgery

Oral surgeons and maxillofacial surgeons complete several years of specialized training to gain the knowledge and skills needed to operate on teeth, jaws, and other facial structures. While the most common oral surgery is tooth extraction, some maxillofacial surgeons can also treat fractured palates and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Standard oral surgery procedures include:

Tooth extraction: In some cases, such as a tooth impaction or a severe infection, extraction may be the best option. Delaying treatment can result in permanent damage such as cysts or tumors. Common warning signs of an impacted tooth include:
- Severe pain
- Reoccurring swelling and tenderness
- Bleeding gums
Temporomandibular disorders (TMD): Sometimes caused by jaw malformation or traumatic injury, TMD symptoms include jaw clicking and the inability to open the jaw as widely as usual. If conservative treatments are ineffective, surgery may be the best option to reduce jaw soreness and improve function.

What Situations Require Oral Surgery?

Oral surgery is a common form of surgery because it can help with various oral health situations. If you have significant tooth decay or fractures, severe gum disease, or missing teeth, oral surgery could be required. It can also help with sleep apnea and other less common oral health concerns like temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD). To find out if you require oral surgery, you should speak with our dentists, who can provide valuable insight.

How Do You Prepare for Oral Surgery?

Preparations for oral surgery can vary depending on the type of oral surgery to be performed. Typically, we recommend not having any food or water for at least 12 hours before the surgery. If we are only going to use a local anesthetic to numb the surgery site, then you might be permitted to have a light meal that morning or the night before.

You should also make arrangements with friends or family to take you to and from the oral surgery appointment. For even minor oral surgeries, discomfort afterward can be distracting, so you might not want to drive yourself home. Again, your dentist from our team can give you the full details about how to prepare based on the oral surgery you need.

What are the Benefits of Oral Surgery?

The benefits of oral surgery can include:

Restore the look of your smile
Correct and prevent oral infections, tooth decay, etc.
Prevent tooth loss from various oral health issues
Eliminate day-to-day pain or discomfort
Improve your self-image and self-esteem

How Long Does It Take to Recover from Oral Surgery?

Generally, you will be advised to rest for two to three days after an oral surgery procedure. Normal physical activity should be fine after the rest period. In roughly one month, any soft tissue involved in the oral surgery should be fully healed.

What are the Risks of Oral Surgery?

Dental implant surgery is one of the most dependable and long-lasting methods to replace missing teeth. However, since this oral surgery involves inserting artificial teeth roots into the jawbone, it often causes temporary discomfort. If you are nervous about the discomfort that you might feel after dental implant surgery or another form of oral surgery, we would be happy to talk with you first and explain the most likely outcomes.

Other potential complications from oral surgery can include:

Infection at the oral surgery site
Numbness in the affected area
Prolonged bad taste
Sinus complications
Minor jaw fracture
Dry socket discomfort

Learn More About Oral Surgery Today

We would be happy to discuss the different details and approaches of oral surgery with you. If you have any questions, you can be certain that we have the answers. Depending on your current oral health and situation, oral surgery could be the perfect fit!

Contact ProHEALTH Dental today to request an appointment and learn more about oral surgery!

Oral Surgery FAQ

Are you put to sleep for oral surgery?

General anesthesia that puts you to sleep is available and recommended for some forms of oral surgery like wisdom teeth removal. Not all oral surgeries will require general anesthesia, though. Some procedures only need local anesthesia like a procaine injection to temporarily numb nerve sensations in the area.

How long after dental work can I have oral surgery?

The waiting period between typical dental work and oral surgery will depend on the oral surgery that you need. We might advise that you wait two or three weeks to schedule the oral surgery if you just had other dental work. Oppositely, we might recommend waiting upward of eight weeks for dental work if you just had oral surgery.

How long does oral surgery take?

Each oral surgery will take a unique amount of time to complete. For example, single tooth extraction can take roughly 30 minutes, but jaw surgery can take longer than an hour.

Is oral surgery medical or dental for insurance purposes?

Oral surgery is usually considered a dental procedure for insurance purposes. Some more involved oral surgeries can be covered or partially billed to medical insurance providers, though.

When can I go back to work or school after oral surgery?

Minor oral surgery can have little to no effect on your ability to work, depending on your job. Other oral surgery procedures might require you to take anywhere between two and seven days off work.

Can oral surgery be performed by a dentist or only an oral surgeon?

General dentists can perform some minor oral surgeries like gum surgery. The expertise of an oral surgeon is required for many other procedures, though. It depends on the dentist’s credentials and experience. You can expect a highly qualified oral health professional to complete your oral surgery when you come to our clinic.

What does it mean if my lip or tongue feels numb after oral surgery?

Local anesthesia can make your lips or tongue feel numb for a while after oral surgery. The numbness should wear off within a few hours. In extremely rare cases, this numbness or tingling sensation can last for days or weeks due to nerve irritation near the injection site. If the problem persists, please reach out to us.

What do I do if my oral surgery sutures come out?

Sutures used in oral surgeries are designed to dissolve or come loose on their own. If one comes loose, you can gently remove it on your own and discard it without worry. If a suture comes loose shortly after the oral surgery and you experience noticeable bleeding, please call us so we can assess the situation.

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