Extractions and Other Oral Surgeries

Tooth Extraction

You may need to have a tooth extracted for a number of reasons, such as decay, injury or as part of orthodontic treatment. Whatever the reason, you will most likely be referred to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon (OMS) who will remove your tooth in the office using an anesthetic that is appropriate for your procedure.

Exposing Impacted Teeth (Expose and Bond) as Part of Orthodontic Treatment

It is not uncommon for teeth other than wisdom teeth to be impacted (or blocked) from entering the mouth. Fortunately, many of these teeth can be brought into proper position rather than removed. By working together, your oral and maxillofacial surgeon and orthodontist can often bring the impacted tooth through the gum and into the correct position through a procedure known as expose and bond. The OMS will expose the impacted tooth and bond an orthodontic bracket and chain to the tooth. This bracket will then be connected to the patient’s braces. The patient’s orthodontist will then work to gradually bring the tooth into the proper position – resulting in a beautiful, healthy smile.

Impacted Third Molars

The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons recognizes scientific evidence stating that impacted teeth represent a potentially pathologic entity and surgical management is the treatment of choice.

Indications for treatment include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Pain
  • periodontal disease
  • Acute or chronic infection (e.g., cellulitis, abscess)
  • Pathology associated with tooth follicle (e.g., cysts, tumors)
  • Facilitate management in trauma, orthognathic or reconstructive surgery
  • Insufficient space to accommodate erupting tooth or teeth
  • Orthodontic abnormalities (e.g.arch length/ tooth size discrepancies)

Whenever possible, treatment should be provided before the pathology has adversely affected the patient’s oral and/ or systemic health. The goal should be to limit side effects and provide an environment for optimal healing.

To give patients the advantages of rapid healing and the lowest incidence of morbidity, impacted teeth should be treated as soon as it is apparent they will not properly erupt and occlude within the oral cavity.