In the olden days, if you suffered from certain types of dental conditions, you simply had to live with them and learn how to make do. Nowadays, though, you don’t have to do that. Thanks to all the advances and innovations that have been made in modern science and, consequently, the dental field, there are dental procedures that exist that can address virtually any type of dental issue that you have. No matter whether you suffer from a cosmetic or structural dental issue, you don’t necessarily have to settle for the way that you teeth look. Indeed, f you’re not happy with the appearance of your teeth, there are plenty of measures you can take to change them. For instance, you can opt into undergoing dental surgery to address various sorts of dental conditions. In some cases, dental surgery might even be necessary for fixing certain severe dental issues.
What Is Dental Surgery?
Just like there are medical surgeries, so are there dental surgeries. Dental surgery, also referred to as oral surgery, refers to any number of dental procedures that involve the modification of the teeth, jaw or mouth. Unlike normal dental procedures, most surgical dental procedures require that the patient be administered some sort of anesthesia. Additionally, the procedure is also usually performed by an oral surgeon or other dental professional who has extensive experience and training in dental surgery as well as in general dentistry.
Types of Dental Surgeries
Likewise, just as there are numerous types of medical surgery, so are there numerous types of dental surgery. The type of dental surgery that you need depends upon the specific dental conditions that you suffer from. It might also depend on what cosmetic changes you want to make to your dental appearance. Among the most common types of dental surgeries include endodontic, prosthodontic, orthodontic, periodontic and oral and maxillofacial surgeries. Endodontic surgeries usually concern the pulp and root of the tooth. Prothodontics deal with dental prosthetics that are primarily put into place for cosmetic reasons. Examples of prothodontic surgeries are ones that facilitate the usage of dental prosthetics like dental implants. Orthodontic dental surgeries refer to any dental surgeries that are needed in relation to orthodontic treatment, such as the implantation of prosthetics to aid in the assistance of bite correction and so on. Periodontic surgeries, on the other hand, refer to those dental surgeries that involve the supporting tissues of the teeth known as the periodontium. Finally, oral and maxillofacial surgeries are the ones that are done to correct irregularities in the head, neck, face, jaw and mouth; these types of surgeries are the ones that are most commonly used to address oral issues associated with a variety of diseases.
Conditions Treated with Dental Surgery
Dental surgeries can be used to treat a variety of conditions, some of which are more predominant among patients than others. One of the most common types of dental surgeries is the one that is employed to address the issue of impacted teeth. In the case of impacted teeth, a dental surgery to remove excess teeth is sometimes necessary when there are too many teeth present in the mouth, and they end up becoming “impacted.” This most commonly occurs with the wisdom teeth, although it can occur in other areas of the mouth. The wisdom teeth are the third and last set of molars to come in, and if there isn’t enough excess space along the jaw for them to come in properly, then when they begin to break free from the gums, they can overcrowd and push the existing teeth, causing serious dental issues. In such cases, a dental surgery might be necessary rather than optional if you want to avoid further, more serious dental issues from developing.
Root canals are another one of the most popular types of dental surgeries performed. Although many people don’t think of root canals as a type of dental surgery, they actually are. When the pulp or root of a tooth dies, then it needs to be removed in order to preserve the rest of the teeth and prevent further decay. The way that dental professionals remove the dead tooth is via a surgical procedure. Removing a dead tooth isn’t as simple as simply pulling a tooth since the roots must be sufficiently removed, which oftentimes require a general anesthesia to put the patient in enough of a relaxed state to remove the root or pulp without him or her experiencing a significant amount of pain.
Another one of the most common types of dental surgeries performed is a dental implant surgery. Oftentimes, these types of dental surgeries aren’t required. Rather,they are optional surgeries that some patients choose to undergo to avoid the alternative of having to settle for another tooth replacement method. Many people undergo dental implant surgery to replace missing teeth or to provide anchors upon which to place bridged teeth. Dental implants come with numerous benefits, such as a more natural look and function of a real tooth.
When it comes to orthodontic treatment, one of the most common types of dental surgeries performed is that for addressing unequal jaw growth. Although braces and other dental appliances are usually enough to correct overbites, underbites and other orthodontic dental conditions, if there are more serious issues that affect the growth and development of the upper jaw, lower jaw or both, then a dental surgery to address those issues might be required to make them function properly.
Of the more serious types of dental surgeries are the oral and maxillofacial ones. These are the ones that are oftentimes done in an attempt to correct cleft palates and cleft lips. These are some of the most complicated types of dental surgeries. They usually require the oral surgeon to work alongside a team of other medical professionals in planning and executing the restorative surgery that is supposed to reconstruct the lip, mouth and nasal cavities. More often than not, oral and maxillofacial dental surgeries are performed when there are dental issues present that were the result of improper fetal development, such as the aforementioned conditions.
The Dental Surgery Process
With almost all dental surgeries, patients must meet with their dentists for a consultation visit during which time the dentist will determine whether or not they are ideal candidates for the proposed dental surgery. Generally, ideal candidates for dental surgeries must be in relatively good overall health in addition to meeting a variety of other eligibility factors specific to the particular type of dental surgery that the patient wants to undergo. Once candidacy has been established, then the oral surgeon usually collaborates with the patient’s primary dentist to determine the best course of treatment. When the surgery is actually administered, the patient is usually given some sort of general anesthesia to put him or her in a relaxed or sleeping state while the surgery is being performed. Depending upon the specific type of dental surgery performed, there may be varying degrees of recovery and down time following the surgery. Medication and follow-up checkup appointments may also be necessary.
Does Insurance Cover Dental Surgery?
Whether or not your dental insurance covers dental surgery depends upon a variety of factors. Generally, most insurances will cover dental surgeries that are deemed necessary for maintaining the state of your overall dental and medical health. However, many of them won’t pay towards the cost of any optional dental surgeriesIf they do, they usually will require you to bear the brunt of the cost if there were alternative options you could have chosen that were cheaper than dental surgery. For instance, many insurance companies won’t pay as much towards the cost of getting dental implants for cosmetic purposes when bridges, dentures and other options are available. However, insurance companies are more likely to pay towards the cost of oral and maxillofacial surgeries that are deemed necessary for survival rather than for cosmetic restorative purposes. In order to determine whether or not your insurance company will cover the cost of your dental surgery, it’s important to speak with your insurance agent to determine just what type of dental coverage you have (full or partial) as well as the conditions of that coverage. Additionally, most dentists and dental offices will work with your insurance company on your behalf to
help you determine just what your specific type of insurance covers prior to undergoing a dental surgery.
References:
Consumer Guide to Dentistry. “Oral surgery basics.” Retrieved on February 8, 2017, from http://www.yourdentistryguide.com/oral-surgery/.
Consumer Guide to Dentistry
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SciTechnol. “Dental health: Current research.” Retrieved on February 8, 2017, from https://www.scitechnol.com/dental-surgery/current-research-in-dental-surgery.php.
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