Knowing When To Consider Oral Surgery

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Knowing When To Consider Oral SurgeryIt’s safe to say that whenever you visit your dentist, the last thing you want to hear is that you need to have oral surgery in order to correct a specific dental problem. No doubt the term “oral surgery” has a way of breeding anxiety and fear. But sometimes it becomes necessary in order to preserve your overall health and well-being. Having to undergo oral surgery is attributed to the following conditions:

  • Impacted teeth, especially your third molars or “wisdom” teeth (bicuspids and cuspids can also become impacted)
  • Jaw-related issues including improving how dentures fit, TMJ disorders, and uneven jaw growth or structure
  • Missing teeth resulting from accidents, age-related tooth loss, and injuries

Of the three conditions above, impacted teeth are more common in younger age groups while tooth loss is typically an age-related issue affecting seniors.

If oral surgery is required to correct your dental issues, preparing yourself and your home for it is imperative. Here are some suggestions that may help you prepare:

  • Consult with your dentist and/or oral surgeon regarding the medications that may be required after your surgical procedure. Making arrangements with family members or friends to pick up those medications is advisable since you probably won’t feel up to doing this yourself.
  • Make arrangements with family members or friends to accompany you to and from your oral surgery appointment. Anesthesia will most likely inhibit your ability to drive so don’t take a chance and try to drive yourself home. Additionally, if you have children, you should make arrangements with a sitter to care for them while you are recovering from the procedure.
  • Pre-operative instructions may restrict drinking, eating, and smoking. Typically, you should not drink or eat within 8 hours of the procedure. Eat a light meal prior to this and avoid smoking a minimum of 12 hours prior to your oral surgery.
  • Wear comfortable clothing the day of your surgery. You should wear loose-fitted clothing and short sleeves, weather permitting, in order to be as comfortable as possible afterwards. Additionally, wear something that you won’t mind getting ruined.

Your Community Dental Group dentist or oral surgeon will provide you with a post-operative diet or at the least suggest what you should or shouldn’t drink and eat. Our goal is to keep you as comfortable as possible when undergoing oral surgery at Community Dental Group. Please contact us today so we can help you prepare for your oral surgery.Knowing When To Consider Oral Surgery