Understanding the types of dental procedures that a general dentist can perform is a great idea. This allows you to know what types of procedures will require a referral to see another type of dental professional. General dentists must earn either a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree, which allows them to perform certain types of oral surgeries.
While oral surgeons often perform surgical procedures on patients to improve their overall oral health, general dentists can also perform surgery on their patients. This is convenient for patients who would rather have their primary dentist perform any necessary oral surgeries.
The list below includes three common types of oral surgery that general dentists can perform. All dental patients can be given local anesthesia, so they should not feel anything during any of the following surgical procedures.
General dentists can perform both simple tooth extractions and complex tooth extractions. While the tooth that needs to be extracted can be any tooth, wisdom teeth are most commonly extracted. The standard type of extraction that a general dentist will perform is a simple tooth extraction, which means that the tooth can be seen above the gum line and is thus easier to extract.
Root canal therapy is a surgical procedure that general dentists perform on their patients. Root canal treatment is necessary when the pulp in a tooth is infected, as the tooth will be lost if treatment is ignored. A general dentist can perform this type of dental surgery because their training includes the treatment of root canals. Dentists who offer this surgical option to their patients will need to have the equipment necessary to perform the procedure, however, so not all dentists offer this type of oral surgery.
Many general dentists are offering dental implants as a tooth replacement option to their patients, making dental implant surgery one of the most common types of surgical procedures that they can perform. When a patient chooses an implant to replace a missing tooth, the implant needs to be surgically inserted into their jawbone. Once the implant has fully healed, the dentist will place a crown over the implant, which allows for a new and natural-looking tooth.
Want to make an appointment with our general dentist so you can know for sure whether you are in need of an oral surgical procedure? When you make your first consultation appointment, you will undergo a thorough evaluation. This allows our dentist to understand what procedures you need, if any, in order to be in good oral health. If you happen to require oral surgery in order to experience good oral health, the entire procedure will be explained to you. Feel free to call us if you have any questions about oral surgery!
Request an appointment here: https://www.yourdowntownmckinneydentist.com or call Sam Patel DDS, PA at (972) 638-5848 for an appointment in our McKinney office.
Check out what others are saying about our services on Yelp: Read our Yelp reviews.
During a dental practice visit, dentists assess the patient and then treat the issues scheduled for that day. It is a dentist’s responsibility to provide safe and extensive dental treatments. The patient goes home with a cleaner, healthier mouth and a better perspective about dental health. Each dental practice has its own set of steps…
Most people find root canal treatment frightening. This procedure has a bad reputation for being painful and unpleasant. But your dentist has the skills and instruments necessary to handle the process efficiently and with minimal pain. There is a possibility that a patient may have numerous teeth that require extensive treatment. The dentist can assess…
Cosmetic dental services are procedures people turn to when they want to improve the way their smile looks. Dentists can do various things to improve smile color, alignment, and proportions. This means those unhappy with their smile can do something about it. If you have considered cosmetic dentistry but want to know more, here is…
Wondering whether it is OK to skip oral hygiene from time to time? Read on to learn from a general dentist why that is not a good idea. All general dentists preach the importance of good oral hygiene between dental cleaning visits for a reason. The long-term focus for general dentists is on helping their…