Oral Surgery
Oral Surgery in South Bend, IN
Elite Dental of South Bend offers expert oral surgery in South Bend, IN, in our modern, state-of-the-art dental office. We ensure each patient has a stress-free, comfortable experience, and work hard to minimize dental fear and anxiety. Our oral surgery services include wisdom tooth removal, surgical tooth extraction, dental implants, and tongue and lip tie revisions. Call now to schedule a consultation and discuss your needs.
When Is Oral Surgery Necessary?
We will only recommend oral surgery after a comprehensive evaluation and examination, and when more conservative or minimally invasive procedures are ruled out or ineffective. Some of the signs you need for oral surgery or emergency dental care include:
- Impacted or overcrowded wisdom teeth
- Severe tooth decay or large dental cavities that affect the structural stability and health of the tooth
- Major infection that cannot be remedied with a root canal procedure
- Significant trauma to a tooth that cannot be repaired
- Severe bite problems or structural misalignments
- One or more missing teeth that can be replaced with dental implants
- Advanced jawbone loss
- Tight oral tissues that restrict the movement of your tongue and/or lips
Our Oral Surgery Services
We offer routine oral surgery services that are safe, comfortable, and designed to improve your oral structure, function, and health. Our core services include:
- Surgical tooth extractions
- Surgical wisdom teeth removal
- Dental implant surgery
- Minor bone grafting
- Minor soft tissue surgeries, including tongue-tie and lip-tie procedures
What to Expect During an Oral Surgery Consultation
Most oral surgery consultations last around one hour. During this time, we will go over all pre-operative planning, including:
- Review of your referral paperwork, if applicable
- Review of your dental and medical history and symptoms
- Digital dental x-rays and imaging
- Clinical and diagnostic assessments
- Discussion of potential treatment plans, the details, and the pre- and post-surgery care needed
- Anesthesia planning
- Pre-operative instructions
- Questions you have and any concerns you’re facing
Oral Surgery Recovery and Aftercare
You will be given personalized pre- and post-surgical instructions designed to give you a smooth recovery and help you avoid pain, swelling, bleeding, infection, and other side effects and complications. It’s critical that you follow them carefully:
- Using sterile gauze or tea bags to control bleeding and swelling
- Avoiding spitting or the use of straws
- Quitting smoking or using tobacco products
- Not eating or drinking hot, cold, or acidic foods or beverages
- Using cold compresses to address swelling and pain
- Sleeping with your head elevated
- Taking all medications and antibiotics as recommended
- Avoiding swimming, hot tubs, and strenuous exercise
- Drinking plenty of water
- Sticking to soft foods after oral surgery to avoid pain and infection
Benefits of Undergoing Professional Oral Surgery
Delaying or avoiding surgery could increase your risk of pain, infection, tooth loss, and other complications. Some of the benefits of timely oral surgery include:
- Elimination of pain, swelling, infection, and other serious symptoms
- Prevention of the spread of infection to your bloodstream
- Reduced risk of systemic complications associated with infection
- Preservation of oral and facial structures and bone density
- Restoration of oral functions like eating and speaking
- Improved comfort, appearance, and quality of life
- Lower risk of pain, bleeding, and post-surgical complications
- Personalized guidance through each stage of the process
Why Choose Elite Dental of South Bend
Elite Dental of South Bend has provided quality oral surgery services to the community for more than 30 years. We have a long history of offering safe, effective, and personalized solutions to patients of all ages. Our oral surgery services range from simple and routine to more complex, and can address trauma, infection, decay, damage, and cosmetic concerns. We also offer comprehensive preventive and routine dental care, emergency dentistry services, and cosmetic and restorative dentistry.
Learn More About Our Innovative Oral Surgery & Dental Implants
If you have been referred to a dentist for oral surgery or are concerned about troubling symptoms you’re experiencing, our friendly team of dental professionals can help. We will do a full assessment, make sure you understand your options, and determine the best treatment plan for your health. Call now or contact us online to schedule a consultation for dental implants or oral surgery in South Bend, IN.
FAQs About Dental and Oral Surgery
We will ensure you are completely safe, comfortable, and pain-free throughout your procedure. We offer three levels of anesthesia depending on the complexity and length of the surgery, your age and overall health, and your needs and preferences: local anesthesia, IV sedation, and general anesthesia.
Recovery time depends on your age, health, the length and complexity of the surgery, and how well you adhere to pre- and post-operative instructions. Minor surgery, like extractions, may require three to seven days of recovery. Major procedures, like dental implant placement, can take three to six months for complete healing.
We take every precaution to minimize risk and protect you from pain and complications. However, any surgical procedure carries a risk of complications. Most are minor and temporary, but we will make sure you understand your risk level and weigh it against the benefits. Some of the most common risks are post-operative bleeding and swelling, pain and tenderness, infection, dry socket, facial swelling and bruising, jaw stiffness, headache, and disorientation.
We will always offer a more conservative alternative to oral surgery when possible. In some cases, oral surgery may be the safest and most effective option to eliminate pain, prevent serious infection, restore or repair a tooth, or prevent other complications. Root canal therapy may be a safe alternative to a tooth extraction in some cases. Dental bridges or dentures may be an alternative to dental implants.