Our Services
Dental Implants
Dental implants offer a durable and permanent solution for replacing missing teeth, with benefits extending beyond aesthetics to improved oral health. Acting as titanium posts inserted into the jawbone, they replace the root of the missing tooth, encouraging bone fusion over 3-6 months to create a robust foundation. This process not only supports artificial teeth that look, feel, and function like natural ones but also preserves facial structure and prevents bone loss, making them an ideal choice for single or multiple tooth replacements.
Full Arch Restoration, also known as "Teeth in a Day" or "All-On-X," revolutionizes smile restoration with 4-6 dental implants per jaw. In a single day, diseased teeth are removed, implants placed, and a fixed Zirconia prosthetic attached. This comprehensive procedure, led by an expert dental team, ensures safety and efficiency, providing patients with a new smile in just one day. If a patient has bone loss, they are still a candidate for implants through the use of zygomatic implants.
Wisdom Teeth Extraction
Wisdom teeth, or third molars, are the final set of teeth to develop, located at the very back of the mouth. Not everyone has all four wisdom teeth, and for some, these teeth emerge without issue and function normally. However, when there isn't enough space, wisdom teeth can become impacted, leading to potential complications such as infection, pain, tooth decay, damage to adjacent teeth, misalignment, cysts, tumors, and increased risk of jaw fracture. To avoid these issues, impacted wisdom teeth often need to be removed, particularly if they're poorly positioned or partially erupted, allowing bacteria to enter and cause infection.
The removal process involves a consultation with an oral surgeon to discuss your oral health and create a personalized treatment plan. The procedure is typically performed under general anesthesia to ensure comfort, with a comprehensive approach to safety and monitoring. After the extraction, patients receive a post-operative kit with care instructions and a follow-up appointment to monitor recovery.
Anesthesia
At SD Oral, Facial, and Implant Surgery, we prioritize patient comfort by offering a range of anesthesia options tailored to individual needs. Our experienced oral and maxillofacial surgeons have extensive training in administering anesthesia safely and effectively.
Local Anesthesia
Ideal for minimally invasive procedures, local anesthesia numbs the surgical area without altering awareness or memory. Patients can arrive alone and drive themselves to and from their appointment.
Nitrous Oxide Sedation
Also known as "laughing gas," this inhaled gas induces mild sedation and pain relief, enhancing relaxation during the procedure. Patients can arrive alone and drive themselves afterward.
General Anesthesia
For more complex procedures, general anesthesia ensures complete comfort as patients are put to sleep and closely monitored throughout. It's suitable for those with moderate to severe dental anxiety.
Bone Grafting
Bone Grafting is crucial for dental implant success, depending on the bone's quality and quantity. Teeth chewing stimulates bone, preventing resorption. However, tooth loss leads to bone deterioration—typically 40-60% within the first two years post-extraction. Bone grafting can prevent this after tooth loss or rebuild bone for implant placement, improving functionality and aesthetics.
Types of Bone Grafting:
Socket Preservation Graft: Post-extraction, this graft is placed in the tooth’s empty socket to minimize bone loss and support implant placement.
Sinus Lift Graft: Necessary when upper back teeth are removed close to the sinus, this procedure elevates the sinus floor to add bone for implant support.
Ridge Augmentation Graft: This technique restores the bone's natural shape after tooth removal, often preparing for future implant placement.
Pre Prosthetic Surgery
Pre-prosthetic surgery is vital for ensuring optimal comfort and functionality before the fabrication of removable prosthetics like dentures. This preparatory procedure involves smoothing and reshaping the jawbone and gums to create an ideal foundation for dentures, ensuring proper fit and retention.
The need for pre-prosthetic surgery arises due to changes in the bone following tooth extraction, which can result in uneven and sharp bone surfaces. Additionally, some individuals may have congenital jawbone abnormalities that only become apparent when dentures are required. Dentures resting on irregular bone can cause discomfort and poor retention.
The surgery may include bone smoothing, removal of excess bone or gum tissue, reduction of bone ridge, and exposure of impacted teeth. Your surgeon will assess your specific requirements during a consultation.
Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF)
Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF) is a blood by-product rich in platelets, white blood cells, and growth factors, crucial for wound healing.
In dentistry, PRF is utilized for various procedures like bone grafting, bone repair, membrane barriers, and fistula repair. PRF treatment accelerates healing, lowers infection risk, and ensures safety since it's derived from the patient's own blood.
The procedure involves collecting a small blood sample, processing it in a centrifuge to extract PRF, then applying it to the surgical site. Patients must meet health criteria for PRF treatment, and the surgeon determines the appropriate application method during the consultation.
Facial Trauma
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are specialized in managing facial trauma, leveraging their dental background to uniquely address injuries involving teeth occlusion and facial structure. Their expertise is critical for both the immediate treatment and long-term outcomes of facial injuries, which can have significant emotional and aesthetic impacts on patients. Our surgeons have trained at top Level I trauma hospitals across the U.S., equipping them with the skills needed for comprehensive trauma care.
Facial trauma can arise from various sources such as automobile accidents, workplace incidents, sports injuries, assaults, and falls, requiring tailored surgical interventions based on injury type and severity:
Soft tissue injuries are treated by suturing.
Bony injuries are managed by stabilization using plates and screws or by wiring the jaws, as casts are impractical for the face.
Dental injuries might need splinting for stabilization or root canal treatment, depending on the extent of damage and impact on surrounding tissues.
Each case is meticulously assessed by the surgeons to determine the most effective treatment plan.
Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorder
The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) connects the lower jawbone to the skull, enabling functions like chewing and speaking. TMJ disorders (TMD) encompass various conditions affecting this joint and associated muscles, including intra-articular issues like cartilage displacement and degenerative bone conditions, as well as muscular disorders such as pain and spasms.
TMD can result from factors like excessive joint loading, genetics, and systemic conditions like arthritis. Diagnosis requires a thorough examination by a trained surgeon to differentiate TMD from other conditions with similar symptoms. Symptoms indicating potential TMD include jaw pain, clicking or popping sounds, teeth grinding, muscle spasms, headaches, and limited jaw movement.
Treatment aims to alleviate pain, improve jaw function, and enhance quality of life, ranging from conservative measures to surgical intervention for severe cases that do not respond to nonsurgical options.
Impacted Canine Exposure
Impacted Canine Exposure, also known as "Exposure and Bracketing," addresses canine teeth that fail to properly erupt, often due to dental crowding or misalignment. This procedure involves surgically exposing the impacted canine and attaching a bracket and chain, allowing orthodontic movement to guide it into position.
Impacted canines can cause various issues if left untreated, impacting biting, jaw alignment, and overall dental health. Risks include cysts, tumors, interference with orthodontic treatment, and increased risk of jaw fracture.
Treatment benefits include improved biting function, proper jaw alignment, prevention of dental issues, and enhanced smile aesthetics. While rare, other teeth can also become impacted and may require similar treatment. Orthodontic evaluation and treatment initiation are necessary before undergoing impacted canine exposure.
Oral Pathology
The oral cavity is lined with mucosa, a smooth, soft, pink skin. Any changes in its appearance could signal a pathological process, including oral cancer. While most oral lesions are not serious, any alterations should be examined by an oral surgeon.
Signs to watch for include red or white patches, sores or ulcers that don’t heal, lumps on the tongue, lips, or gums, and changes in jawbone shape. During a consultation, an oral surgeon will conduct a detailed examination and may recommend a biopsy to remove tissue for microscopic analysis by a pathologist, leading to a definitive diagnosis. Depending on the biopsy results, further surgical removal of the lesion may be necessary.
Regular dental check-ups every 6 months are crucial for early detection of oral abnormalities.