BRADFORD S. JUNGELS, DMD
Dento means teeth and alveolar refers to the bony portion of the jaws which holds the teeth. Dentoalveolar surgery includes any procedure to treat problems or diseases occurring in these areas. the most common procedure the oral surgeon performs is the removal of diseased teeth. Removal of teeth is necessary if teeth become decayed or loose from gum disease. Traumatic injuries to the teeth may also necessitate their removal.
Sometimes, tooth disease will also damage the supporting bone or surrounding gum tissue. Some dentoalveolar surgical procedures are designed to restore these tissues to health in order to allow placement of dental prosthesis (false teeth). These may include small bone reconstruction procedures such as bone grafting. Other procedures restore the soft tissues next to the teeth. Soft tissue disease can be restored by grafting, which is transferring healthy gum tissue to sites previously damaged by disease. Sometimes, growths or abnormalities of the soft tissues or jaws must be removed prior to the placement of false teeth.
All dentoalveolar surgery can be performed utilizing either local anesthesia (numbing medicine) or general anesthesia (going to sleep). Each patient has different needs for anesthesia based on the type of surgery they will have. The doctor will thoroughly review your case to determine the best way to complete your surgery comfortably. Patients can expect the procedures to be easily tolerated with minimal recovery time.