The thought of oral surgery can be intimidating. But with advancements in streamlining procedural techniques, oral surgery is much quicker and less invasive than it used to be. With their extensive background in oral surgery, Mailene Soyster, DDS and Filippo Cangini, DDS of Gregory Ln. Family & Implant Dental Practice are known for keeping patients comfortable during oral surgery. When you book your procedure at this Pleasant Hill, California practice, you can feel confident that your procedure is going to run smoothly. Schedule an exam by calling the clinic, or by booking an appointment online.
Oral Surgery Q & A
Why do I need oral surgery?
Oral surgery includes many types of procedures that are essential for keeping your teeth, gums, and surrounding bones and tissues healthy. You might need oral surgery to:
- Remove wisdom teeth that are crowding other teeth
- Pull an impacted or abscess tooth
- Treat periodontitis
- Place a dental implant
- Realign your jaws
Your dentist often performs all oral surgery procedures, as well as any essential follow-up care, right in the office. This way, you can get all of your surgical care under one roof.
Is oral surgery painful?
What’s different about oral surgery is that you’re awake, which can be intimidating and leave you feeling anxious. But Dr. Soyster and Dr. Cangini offer the latest sedation dentistry options, including nitrous oxide — commonly called laughing gas — and oral sedation.
Even though these sedatives aren’t designed to put you to sleep, many patients either fall asleep or don’t have any recollection of the procedure afterward. If you’re having a complicated oral surgery procedure, Dr. Soyster and Dr. Cangini sometimes offer prescription pain medications to help further reduce pain during and after your surgery.
What is the recovery after oral surgery?
Your recovery after oral surgery depends on the severity of your condition and the exact procedure you need.
It’s normal to experience some soreness or swelling afterward. Applying ice and getting plenty of rest for a day or two helps you get through initial swelling.
Plan on having someone stay with you for the first 24 hours after surgery, especially if you had oral sedation or another type of sedative. With most procedures, including dental implant surgery and extractions, you can go back to work and your regular activities after 2-3 days, or as soon as you’re comfortable.
You’re probably going to need a follow-up appointment after 7-10 days to ensure you’re healing correctly and to remove sutures. Dr. Soyster and Dr. Cangini show you how to clean the surgical site to ensure it heals appropriately: clinical oral rinses or even rinsing with warm salt water can help.