There are many more conservative treatments than surgery available to your dentist, and in many cases an operation will be the last option. However, oral surgery is sometimes necessary and can significantly improve your health and wellbeing. At Harley Street Dental Clinic, we benefit from the skills and experience of maxillofacial surgeons Mr Paul Norris, Mr Nasser A Nasser, Ms Helen Witheroe, Mr Stephen Dover and Mr Peter Hardee, who can help patients with a range of conditions affecting not just the mouth, but also the jaw, face, and neck.
Why do I need oral surgery?
We see patients at our Harley Street clinic who require oral surgery for a number of reasons. This includes the placement of dental implants, treatment of TMD/TMJ problems, some orthodontic conditions, and facial bone fractures. The most common oral surgical procedure, however, remains the extraction of wisdom teeth.
Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, are the final “adult” teeth to develop, often not appearing until you are 17 years old or older. Whilst many people’s wisdom teeth cause no issues, they are prone to becoming impacted or not fully erupting. This makes them difficult to clean, meaning there’s an increased chance of plaque building up, increasing the chances of tooth decay and gum disease. Painful cysts sometimes form because these teeth develop internally, damaging the jaw bone and/or surrounding teeth.
We benefit from full surgical and recovery facilities at our Harley Street clinic, so if your dentist says you need oral surgery, you can rest assured you will be in safe, expert hands in comfortable surroundings.
Your dentist may treat you under local anaesthetic, depending on your needs and the condition being treated, or may use sedation.
Always follow your dentist’s post-operative instructions, which may include a liquid diet and moderate use of over-the-counter painkillers, to ensure a speedy recovery.