Why choose an Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon
Virginia Beach, VA
What is an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon?
 To increase the quality of dental care and public access to it, dental experts have gradually expanded the practice of dentistry to include many specialized fields. A dentist’s skill set includes dentures, crowns, fillings, hygiene procedures, extractions, and root canals, to list a few. However, specialization allows patients to identify specific areas in which they need care and find a certified expert within each.
Within the dental field, surgery is mastered by the oral and maxillofacial surgeon, who is both a medical doctor and a dentist. These highly-trained specialists perform a wide array of procedures and treatments. They also give consultations at times when general dentists are uncertain as to what to prescribe.
Common Oral and Maxillofacial Procedures
Here are some examples of the more prevalent kinds of oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Impacted Wisdom Tooth Extraction
Wisdom teeth (also known as third molars) don’t give many people any trouble. However, in other cases wisdom teeth become impacted, meaning they don’t emerge from the gums properly or become misaligned. As time goes on, these impacted third molars can push nearby teeth out of position and cause pain. Food can also trap easily around these teeth, causing tooth decay and gum disease.
A general dentist can often remove a wisdom tooth, but an impacted wisdom tooth may require specialized treatment from an oral and maxillofacial surgeon.
Sleep Apnea Treatment
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which the airway becomes blocked during sleep, causing the individual to stop repeatedly breathing throughout the night. If left untreated it can lead to a variety of other health issues.
We usually treat this condition with a breathing mask or mouthpiece that keeps the airway open at night, but surgery is also a possibility in some cases. That procedure involves removing excess tissue from the back of the throat to open up the airway.
Reconstructive and Jaw Surgery
Maxillofacial surgeons deal with issues about jaw alignment and injuries that need surgery. Reconstructive and jaw surgery will improve a person’s appearance, allow them to chew normally and alleviate pain.
Dental Implants
Dental implants are a popular method of replacing lost teeth. In this procedure, we insert small posts into the patient’s tooth sockets and give them time to heal and bond with the jaw bone. Sometime later, we will screw prosthetic teeth onto the posts. These artificial crowns have the appearance, feel and function of normal teeth.
How much will Oral Surgery Cost?
The kind of surgery we perform, the complexity of the case and the type of anesthesia used will all contribute to the total cost. During your appointments with us, we will work with you to determine which kind of procedure will work best for you, including what kind of anesthesia (if any) is most reasonable. We can also work with your insurance company to get the most affordable plan possible. Even if you have no dental insurance, it is still possible to use a discount program or receive financing to make monthly payments.
For more information, please contact our office at (757) 777-9883.
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