Procedures
Overview • Wisdom Teeth • Dental Implants
Overview
In our office we practice a full scope of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery including removal of wisdom teeth, dental implants, bone grafting, and reconstructive facial surgery. The comfort and safety of our patients is our number one priority. We go to great lengths to take each patient’s individual fears and concerns into consideration and incorporate those into their treatment plan to ensure that they have a positive experience at our office. We provide general anesthesia so you can sleep through your surgery.
Wisdom Teeth
Most people start getting their wisdom teeth (also called third molars) when they reach their late teens or early twenties. In most people, the jaws are not large enough to accommodate the four wisdom teeth, and they become impacted, remaining under the gum. The teeth are considered impacted when they partially break through the gum, grow in crooked, or fail to break through at all and remain trapped beneath the gum and bone.
Why Should I Remove My Wisdom Teeth?
When you do not have enough room in your mouth for your wisdom teeth to fully erupt, a number of problems can arise. Although impacted wisdom teeth can push in any direction, they often grow forward and push against the adjacent molar. This constant pressure can produce pain and may cause tooth movement. It may also damage the bone support of the healthy second molar teeth.
In addition to pain, other problems with wisdom teeth include infection, swelling or inflammation of tissue surrounding the teeth, and crowding of your teeth. Many problems with wisdom teeth can occur with few or no symptoms, so there can be damage without you knowing it.
The most serious problem with impacted wisdom is when the sac in which the tooth develops fills with fluid and enlarges to form a cyst. A cyst can cause permanent damage to adjacent teeth, jawbone, and nerves. Left untreated, a tumor may develop which requires a complicated surgical procedure to correct the problem.
As wisdom teeth develop, their roots become longer and the jawbone more dense, thus as a person grows older it becomes more difficult to remove wisdom teeth and complications become more frequent. As patients age, there is an increased chance of other side effects including infection, decay, damage to adjacent teeth or bone, development of cysts or tumors, or nerve damage. Younger patients tolerate removal of their wisdom teeth better and recover faster.
For these reasons, it is recommended to have your wisdom teeth removed while you are younger, even if they are not yet causing obvious problems. Please call our office at 704-865-0081 if you have any questions regarding wisdom teeth or to schedule a consultation appointment.
Dental Implants
Dental Implants are a revolutionary way to replace missing teeth. With dental implants people are rediscovering the comfort and confidence to eat, speak, laugh, and enjoy life.
Dental implants are metal anchors made out of titanium that are surgically placed in the jaw bone underneath the gum tissue. These posts provide a stable anchor for artificial replacement teeth. Depending on your needs, a single tooth, a partial bridge, or a full set of replacement teeth are fitted to the implants and locked in place over the protruding posts. In appearance and in function, implants are the closest thing to natural teeth.
Dental implants are typically done in two stages. In the first stage, Dr. Snyder will place the implant in your jawbone while you are asleep. After approximately 3 – 6 months of healing to allow bone to grow onto the surface of the implant, Dr. Snyder will uncover the top of your implant.
The second stage is when your new teeth are custom made by your dentist. This involves making impressions of your teeth and implant, and then the placement of your new teeth.
If you would like further information about implants, please call our office at 704-865-0081 and schedule a free implant consultation with Dr. Snyder.
Timothy C. Snyder, DDS, MD • Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery • 660 Summit Crossing Place • Suite 303Gastonia, NC 28054 • Phone: 704-865-0081 • Fax: 704-865-6004 • drsnyder@tcsnyderddsmd.com