For many people, no two words will strike fear in their
hearts faster than dental surgery. Beaverton residents
who end up needing oral surgery, however, quickly understand how useful,
necessary, and varied the procedures that fall under that broad category really
are. Daunting as it may seem at first, surgical dentistry is like any other
medical procedure: unpleasant to think about when you’re completely healthy and
don’t need it, but welcome and extremely helpful when you do. Part of getting
past any initial squeamishness over emergency dental surgical procedures is
simply understanding what they are and what they’re for.
Prosthodontics
Planned or emergency dental procedures that involve implants
or prostheses of any kind are referred to as prosthodontic procedures. These
include crowns where an artificial cap is placed on top of a badly damaged
tooth, creating a long-lasting, strong barrier against further damage. Another
example is veneers, which are often custom-made porcelain fittings that serve a
primarily aesthetic purpose similar to crowns, but usually only on the front
part of teeth. If a tooth is missing altogether, a bridge may be put in place.
A bridge is an artificial tooth that is anchored in place by the neighbouring
teeth using strong, permanent adhesive. All of these prosthodontic procedures
can be done at most dentist offices, and others, including implants and
dentures, can be either arranged or performed by dentists, depending on the
setup of their clinics.
Endodontic Surgery
Inside every tooth is a substance known as pulp, and surgery
involving the pulp or root of a tooth is called endodontic surgery. The most
common (and possibly most feared) example of endodontic therapy is the root
canal. During a root canal operation, a dentist or endodontist will clear out
decayed parts of a tooth, drill down into the root, and remove the infected
pulp that can cause severe pain. Once the infection has been cleared, the tooth
is filled back in and a crown is put in place to prevent further infection or
damage and to restore the tooth’s normal and natural function. Another slightly
less common endodontic procedure is called an apicoectomy, also known as a root-end
surgery. In an apicoectomy, the end of a tooth’s root is removed to clear out
an infection, and the cavity is refilled afterwards. Apicoectomies are usually
done after a normal root canal procedure has been unsuccessful and another
attempt is not recommended for some reason.
Beaverton area dentists’ knowledge of various types of
dental surgery is helpful in demystifying and makes it a little less daunting. If
you know what you’re likely getting into, it makes it that much easier to
prepare yourself mentally and physically. Often, local dental clinics are
always ready to welcome new patients, and if they’re not, it’s often possible
to find one that performs emergency dental surgery in Beaverton for
non-patients as well. You can always trust an experienced and dedicated dentist
with your oral health, but it never hurts to have a bit more information to
keep as much peace of mind as possible.