Oral Surgery in Butler, PA

You might be surprised to learn that roughly three million people in the United States have dental implants. Dental implants and tooth extractions are types of oral surgery that might be necessary if you have tooth decay or other issues.

Brockley Dental Center offers a variety of surgical procedures that we perform from the comfort and privacy of our Butler, PA, office. Learn more about oral surgery and how it could resolve your dental issues.

What Is Oral Surgery?

Oral surgery refers to procedures performed on the teeth, jaws, gums, and other oral structures. It can include everything from root canals to extractions to bone grafts.

There are many reasons a patient might potentially need oral surgery, including:

• Broken teeth
• Severe tooth decay
• Bone loss in the jaw
• Impacted teeth
• Missing teeth
• Gum disease

At Brockley Dental, we offer popular solutions like mini dental implants, implant-retained dentures, and extractions, among other treatments.

Mini Dental Implants

Mini dental implants are a less invasive tooth replacement method than traditional implants. They’re much smaller, with a structure consisting of an O-ring and a titanium post. These implants can be used to replace most teeth. 

Mini dental implants are much more affordable than traditional dental implants, and the oral surgery required to place them is much faster. We use only local anesthesia for this procedure. 

Another crucial benefit of mini dental implants is that they don’t demand as much jawbone density as other options—that means you have less of a chance of requiring a bone graft. The recovery process is also faster, allowing you to return to your regular eating habits much sooner than you would with traditional dental implants. 

Because mini dental implants are much smaller, they can also help if you have teeth missing in hard-to-reach spots that wouldn’t offer enough space for traditional dental implants.

A mini dental implant is an excellent option for people who have lost teeth due to tooth decay or injury, as it allows you to regain your full bite while preventing bone loss in your jaw. 

Your jawbone receives stimulation from the roots of your teeth, which means if you have a missing tooth, the bone won’t receive adequate stimulation. A mini dental implant can perform the same function as an actual tooth, providing the stimulus required to create and maintain new bone tissue.

Extractions

Tooth extraction is the complete removal of a tooth from its socket. It may be a suitable  option for patients dealing with the following:

• Extensive tooth decay
• Gum disease
• Broken teeth
• Crowded teeth
• Impacted teeth 

At Brockley Dental, we perform all extractions and other treatments in the office, so you never have to make appointments with multiple doctors or get referrals for the procedures you need.

Implant-Retained Dentures

Another form of oral surgery we perform at Brockley Dental is putting in implant-retained dentures. These specialized replacements can help if you have missing teeth and need dentures but want something more secure than a traditional set. 

Traditional dentures require adhesives to stay fixed to the gum line. With implant-retained dentures, the dentures snap into posts implanted in your jawbone. The posts stabilize the denture, preventing it from slipping out of place as you talk or eat. 

For this surgery, we first place the implants into your jawbone and allow the area to heal to ensure that they are properly anchored. Once we’re confident they are, we’ll perform a second procedure, placing an abutment on each implant to which we can clip the denture. 

As with traditional dentures, implant-retained dentures are removable to make cleaning and sleeping easier and more comfortable.

There are many benefits to wearing implant-retained dentures. For one thing, you don’t have to limit what you eat. Because the dentures won’t shift out of place, you can chew and talk as you normally would without fear. Furthermore, these implant-retained dentures don’t cover the upper palate, so you won’t have to worry about losing taste when wearing them. They’re also easy to keep clean and more affordable to repair or replace. 

Because your jawbone depends on the stimulation of the teeth roots, the implants we use for implant-retained dentures can also help prevent jawbone loss, which isn’t a benefit that regular dentures offer. 

You can also stop worrying about mouth sores and the discomfort of having loose dentures. We customize each implant-retained denture to fit your mouth, avoiding the rubbing that can lead to the development of sores.

Preparing for Oral Surgery

If you’ve been experiencing dental issues and think you might benefit from dental implants, extractions, or implant-retained dentures, the best thing to do is to reach out to the experts at Brockley Dental for a consultation.

During your consultation, we’ll ask about your medical history while we perform an assessment to see what treatment options would best serve your needs. 

It’s important to let us know about any medications you’re currently taking. Some, like blood thinners, can complicate surgery, so we may ask you to stop taking them in the days before the procedure.

We can also take X-rays and scans to assess your jaw’s structure and catch other potential issues. Using the information we gather during your consultation, we can create an individualized treatment plan. 

As with any other type of surgery, we ask that you avoid drinking and smoking for a few days, as the effects of alcohol, tobacco, and other smoking products can interfere with the healing process.

During your consultation, we can also discuss our payment options, including our CareCredit payment plan.

Overview of the Oral Surgery Procedures We Offer

We’ll use some form of anesthesia to ensure you’re comfortable throughout the procedure. If necessary, we can also provide sedation options, which may work better for you if you suffer from dental anxiety. For most people, topical anesthesia is enough. However, you’ll likely have to have someone drive you home after oral surgery.

The overall length of the procedure will depend on the type of surgery you need, the size of the treatment area, and several other factors. Once it’s done, we’ll offer guidance on the recovery process to make sure you get the best possible results. For most people, this means getting lots of good rest, staying hydrated, and taking the antibiotics and other medications we provide.

Our Philosophy

Brockley Dental is a family practice made up of the father and daughter team of Donald B. Brockley, DMD, E. Ahono Gildersleeve, DDS, and Carmin Gonzalez, DDS. Together, we can offer the personalized care that you deserve. Because we make it a point to take our time with each of our patients, you’ll always have the chance to ask questions and voice any concerns you may have about various procedures or payment options.

With over 50 years of combined experience and state-of-the-art facilities that include cutting-edge equipment and technologies, we’re confident we can help you start down the path to better oral health. 

Entrust Your Oral Health to Brockley Dental

If you struggle with tooth decay or other serious oral issues that require oral surgery, trust the seasoned professionals at Brockley Dental Center. We proudly serve the Greater Pittsburgh and Butler, PA, areas.

Our family practice can make it easier to get the care you need for your dental troubles. Call us today to schedule your first visit!