Oral surgery is often necessary to treat complex situations.

Because we have in-house oral surgeons here at Oral Surgery Specialists of Austin, we can offer a wide variety of surgical procedures that our competitors simply cannot.

You can count on having long-lasting, high-quality procedures with our oral surgeons, Dr. Flint, and Dr. Largent.

Tooth Extractions In many cases, if the tooth is simply too decayed to be saved, it will need to be extracted before infection sets in the gums. If this happens, it can spread to other healthy teeth and create a more complicated treatment plan. There are two types of extractions utilized to remove teeth. The simple extraction is the most common and the most straightforward. Typically, only a general anesthetic is needed and applied to the gums and teeth to desensitize the patient so they can have a pain-free surgical procedure. Once appropriately desensitized, the tooth is then extracted with gentle pressure. A surgical extraction utilizes the same anesthetic but is slightly more involved than a simple extraction. A small incision is made over the site of the extraction. This is done when the tooth is deeply impacted in the jawbone. For difficult extractions, the tooth can be broken into smaller sections to make it easier to remove. With most wisdom teeth extractions, the patient needs to be fully sedated in order for them to remain immobile and calm throughout. Learn more about extractions.

Anesthesia Several types of sedation can be used. The type used depends on the oral surgery that is being performed. Moderate level sedation is a type of sedation used in which we provide the sedative drug intravenously. This helps our patients receive the drug more quickly. We may choose to use this method when we want more control over the level of sedation for our patients. It may also work if the patient starts to get agitated or anxious after the procedure has already begun. Deep sedation is another form. When we choose this sedation, our patients will get medications which will make them unconscious. Depending on the type of procedure, our patients may get just enough to be unaware of what is happening but still be able to communicate with our staff. In some cases, this sedation type may also be used to put the patient deeply asleep the entire time. We often reserve this type of sedation for surgeries which may take longer in our office. Inhaled minimal sedation is often the best to reduce anxiety in our office when completing a dental exam and for simple procedures like tooth extraction or a filling. General anesthesia is best for more serious procedures because the patient can remain unconscious the entire time. It is hard to wake the patient until the anesthesia wears off and we recommend our patients have someone else drive them home. Learn more about anesthesia.

Pre-prosthetic Surgery Before you receive prosthetics such as dentures or dental implants, you may require pre-prosthetic surgery. These are surgeries aimed at preparing the mouth for prosthetics. Usually, a prosthetic is fitted on the bone ridge. This ridge needs to be prepared and smoothed out to ensure a perfect fit for the restorations. Pre-prosthetic surgery works to reshape the bone, allowing it to attain the desired form. Various procedures are involved, including removing excess gum tissue, smoothing as well as reshaping the bone, reducing the bone ridge, removing excess bone, and exposing impacted teeth. Learn more about pre-prosthetic surgery.

Oral Cancer Surgery The first line of treatment for most patients with oral cancers will include surgery to remove tumors, reduce any visible evidence left after excision or debulk large tumors that have not responded well to other forms of treatment. This may be followed by local radiation therapy or chemotherapy, depending on tumor size and location. Radiation therapy can be used either as a stand-alone modality outside the surgical setting, combined with surgery (postoperative radiotherapy), or postoperatively within an existing wound site following surgical resection. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Chemotherapy may be given as an injection or infused into a vein (intravenously) and taken orally called systemic chemotherapy, which circulates through the bloodstream and is intended to treat metastasis in distant organs such as bones, lungs, and brain. Chemotherapy uses potent chemicals that can stop both healthy and cancerous cell division, especially those that divide quickly like normal cells in the bone marrow, digestive tract, and hair follicles. Learn more about oral cancer surgery.

Oral Pathology Oral pathology is an intersection between the fields of dentistry and pathology focusing on tissue conditions that characterize oral health problems like cavities, degraded gums and joints, and others. At Oral Surgery Specialists of Austin, our oral pathologists spend most of their working hours in the laboratory testing and analyzing the conditions of various sample tissues from our patient’s mouth using tools like radiographs, microscopes, and biochemicals. Examples of ailments that our oral pathologists can help you quickly identify and remedy include black hairy tongue; an overgrowth of cone-shaped projections known as papillae on the tongue that leaves behind thick black patches that latch on the tongue; oral cancer, which can be prevented and cured speedily with a timely diagnosis; and salivary gland tumors, which can cause issues like dry mouth, pain, numbness, lumps or fluids leaking off the ears. Keep in mind patients may notice some of these signs without any pain at all. The best way to keep yourself protected is to know how your mouth typically feels and appears. You can then notice when changes occur whether over a few days or a few months. Learn more about oral pathology.

Impacted Canine Teeth The cuspids, which are also called the canines or the eyeteeth, are teeth with very important roles in your mouth. They are responsible for biting and tearing foods as well as guiding the jaw into proper alignment when you bite down. Even though these teeth are so important, they are one of the most likely sets of teeth to become impacted, second only to the wisdom teeth. However, where the wisdom teeth can be removed without any impact to the functions or health of your mouth, you need your cuspids. At Oral Surgery Specialists of Austin, we can help to expose impacted cuspids, as well as help to guide them into their proper positions, enabling them to perform their essential functions properly. Learn more about Impacted Canine Teeth.

At Oral Surgery Specialists of Austin, our doctors and our entire team promise to do our best to work with your schedule, and your insurance to give you and your family the top quality treatment that you deserve.

Call us today at (512) 351-7653 to schedule an appointment or a no obligation consultation.