Oral and Dental Surgery

What is Oral Surgery

Oral surgery is any procedure that involves cutting into or removing hard or soft tissue from your mouth. It includes procedures like removing a tooth, gum surgery, bone grafting, and placing dental implants. Oral surgery also includes getting rid of diseased tissue from the mouth, correcting jaw problems, or repairing a cleft lip or palate.

What we do

At Bristol Dental Clinic, we have an experienced dental surgeon specialising in oral surgery procedures including wisdom teeth extractions, complicated extractions involving tissue and bone coverage, socket preservations and bone grafting, gingivoplasty, surgical excisions of tumours, surgical incision and drainage, frenectomy and placing dental implants.

We provide specialty oral surgery services at affordable general dentist rates. The oral surgeon will plan your treatment to provide the right treatment and care for all oral surgery related problems. We are equipped with the appropriate technology and high-quality surgical instruments to make your oral surgery procedures extremely comfortable. The oral surgeon is assisted by trained and experienced dental assistants.

Oral Surgery Treatment

Some of the treatments offered at Bristol Dental Clinic are:

• Tooth Extractions
  –   Fully erupted teeth
  –   Impacted or partially erupted wisdom teeth, including surgical extractions involving tissue and bone coverage
  –   Teeth beyond repair either from tooth decay, root fracture, or trauma
  –   Removal of residual roots
  –   Primary teeth that have failed to fall out, preventing the eruption of permanent teeth
  –   Orthodontic treatment which require the removal of some teeth, surgical exposure of teeth
• Dental Implants (Please click on Implants for more information)
• Bone grafting, socket preservation, autograft, allograft
• Gingivoplasty, gum contouring
• Surgical incision, excisions and drainage of tumours and abscesses
• Frenectomy
• Detection and surgical management of oral lesions, ulcers & minor oral diseases (Note: We are not oral pathologists)

Few reasons why wisdom teeth extractions are done

When wisdom teeth cause problems, or x-rays show they might in the future, they most probably need to be extracted for the following reasons:

• Damage to Other Teeth: That extra set of molars can push your other teeth around, causing mouth pain and bite problems. With age, these complications increases
• Jaw Damage: Cysts can form around the new teeth. If they aren’t treated, they can hollow out your jaw and damage nerves. Removal of lesions are complicated
• Sinus Issues: Problems with wisdom teeth can lead to sinus pain, pressure, and congestion
• Inflamed Gums and Gum Disease: Tissue around the area can swell and become hard to clean. Once inflammation takes hold, it is impossible to eliminate and gums will start to recede
• Cavities: Swollen gums can create pockets between teeth that help bacteria grow and cavities form
• Alignment: Impacted wisdom teeth can undo the effects of braces, bridges, crowns, partial dentures, or any type of dental work
• Infection: if the tissue around the wisdom teeth is inflamed you can get infection
• Hygiene: Without wisdom teeth, it is easier to clean and maintain
• Impaction: Impacted wisdom teeth can cause bone loss and tissue damage
• Space: Extraction is required to create space to move teeth orthodontically

Care after dental extractions

Patients can follow these instructions after dental extractions:

• Bite on the gauze for 30 minutes.
• Keep fingers and tongue away from surgical area.
• Use ice pack / ice bags on surgical area (side of face) for first 2 hours; apply ice 10 minutes on and then 10 minutes off.
• Do not rinse your mouth for 24 hours.
• Diet – Drink plenty of cold fluids for the first 4-6 hours. (Do not use a straw). Avoid carbonated water (Pop). Diet may consist of warm / lukewarm soft foods which be easily chewed and swallowed. No see, nuts, rice, popcorn, etc.
• After 24 hours, rinse your mouth with warm salt water. Continue for few days.
• For mild discomfort, take Tylenol or Ibuprofen every four hours. For severe pain, use the prescription given to you.
• A certain amount of bleeding is to be expected following surgery. Bleeding can be stopped by applying pressure to the surgical area for 30-45 minutes. If bleeding persists, a moist gauze or a warm moist teabag should be held firmly in the area of bleeding for 30 minutes.
• Do not smoke for at least 5 days after surgery.
• Do not spit too often. If you want to spit, don’t spit vigorously.
• A certain amount of bleeding, pain, and swelling is normal for the first 2 days. This should go away gradually. Reduce your activity as much as possible for several hours. Avoid unnecessary talking. For the first few hours as it may hinder proper healing. Immediately following procedure, begin taking medication as directed by your doctor to minimize discomfort when the anesthesia wears off and feeling is back to normal.

To control bleeding after dental extractions

Immediately following procedure, keep steady pressure over the gauze on surgical site. Pressure helps reduce bleeding and permits formation of a clot. Gently remove the gauze after one hour. If bleeding persists, place moist gauze and again keep steady pressure on the area for half an hour. Up to 24 hours after surgery, some oozing of blood may persist, which will stop by itself. After bleeding has stopped, cautiously resume oral hygiene.

Oral hygiene is important especially after extractions

Next morning rinse mouth gently with a solution of one-half teaspoon of salt dissolved in a large glass of warm water (tea temperature). Repeat this after every meal or snack for seven days. Rinsing is important because it removes food particles and debris and thus helps promote healing. Brush tongue with a dry toothbrush to keep bacteria growth down, but be careful not to touch the surgical site. Resume your regular tooth brushing next morning, but avoid disturbing the surgical. Poor oral hygiene could result in infections and delayed healing.

Maintain a proper diet

Have your meals at the usual time. Eat soft, nutritious foods and drink plenty of liquids with meals and in between. Have what you wish, but be careful not to disturb the blood clot. Add solid foods to your diet as they are comfortable to chew.

Dry socket

If extreme pain persists after 3-4 days, visit your dentist immediately. Roughly 1-2% of the complicated extractions can result in a condition called “dry socket” and it needs medical attention by the dentist.

For more information on oral surgery in Mississauga, please click on Patient Resources.