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Oral Surgery

When oral health conditions arise that routine dental treatment cannot address, their consequences can affect a wide range of dental functions, and treating the issue may require surgical expertise. With impressive knowledge and experience in oral surgeryDr. Andrew R. Glenn in Lincoln is specifically trained to detect, diagnose, and treat even the most challenging cases. Using advanced oral surgery techniques, we can restore the damage caused by extensive dental disease and severe oral and maxillofacial trauma. To learn more about how our services can restore function and beauty to your smile, schedule an appointment at our practice today.

Preserving Oral Health

Mild to moderate decay can be treated with a dental filling. Advanced decay and infection, however, can sometimes reach into the pulp of a tooth. Located at the center of each tooth, the pulp is a chamber that houses nerves and blood vessels. Once infected, these tissues can die, and an abscess, or pocket of infection, can form at the end of the tooth’s root, destroying gum tissue, jawbone, and surrounding teeth, as well as the tooth itself.

Single Tooth Extraction and Wisdom Teeth Removal

In some cases, trauma, extensive decay, or disease can damage a tooth structure severely enough that the tooth cannot be saved. Depending on the extent of damage, tooth extraction can be a simple procedure that involves grasping, loosening, and removing the tooth. If the tooth is broken, or if the root is fractured, then surgical extraction may be required.

Although a typical adult mouth can only properly accommodate 28 teeth, we also have four wisdom teeth. When a wisdom tooth, or third molar, must be extracted, it’s typically because of a partial eruption, or impaction, that causes resounding discomfort and an increased risk to overall dental health. Simple tooth extraction won’t suffice for impacted wisdom teeth that are obstructed by other teeth, or teeth that have not yet erupted from the gum line. Surgical extraction, performed under local or general anesthesia, can relieve the pain of crowded and impacted wisdom teeth, and allow surrounding teeth to continue functioning properly.

Corrective and Reconstructive Jaw Surgery

The lower jaw, or mandible, is a vital component of dental health and function. It controls the movement of the mouth, and in order to operate efficiently, it relies on symmetry and balance. Corrective jaw surgery can create improved balance. Orthognathic surgery can be carried out as a combined effort between Dr. Glenn and a patient’s orthodontist to achieve better symmetry in the teeth and jawbone, and often involves orthodontic braces as well as jaw surgery.

Dr. Glenn may also use jaw surgery to reconstruct a jawbone that has grown weak from extensive tooth loss. Restoring lost teeth is most effective using dental implants; however, jawbone atrophy must be addressed before implants can be placed. For patients who want to receive dental implants, but lack sufficient jawbone structure to support the posts, bone grafting offers a surgical solution. Using bone from a donor source, or from the patient’s own body, a ridge augmentation (or sinus lift) can increase the density and strength of the jawbone to adequately support any number of dental implants.

Oral Surgery at the Hands of an Expert

As an oral surgeon, Dr. Glenn also frequently treats severe facial trauma and performs thorough screenings for oral cancer and other pathological issues. Additionally, we also offer temporary anchorage devices to improve the results of an orthodontic braces treatment. We use high-tech computed tomography (CT) cone beam technology to plan precise treatment, and to show patients what their procedures will look like after they are completed. To learn more our comprehensive scope of oral surgery services, contact us today.