While you may feel a bit unnerved to find that you need care more complex than a dental filling to address your oral health concern, we hope to reassure you that the benefits of oral surgery can greatly improve your daily quality of life. We find that even mentioning surgery to patients can leave them feeling extremely concerned. Because hesitation often stems from a lack of education, our goal is to provide you with answers to the questions commonly asked by our patients about the variety of surgical procedures we offer to improve your dental health. Curious to know more? Look over the following answers for a clearer understanding of what to expect:
Frequently Asked Questions About Oral Surgery
Question: Why do I need surgery?
Answer: Sometimes you need an operative procedure because restorative dentistry services like fillings or root canal treatment cannot fully address your concern. We would like to reassure you that we make very conservative diagnoses and suggestions for treatment. If we recommend oral surgery it is because other options have failed or because your oral health is at high risk of complications without urgent care.
Question: What types of oral surgery do you offer?
Answer: Surgery may address a variety of concerns. These may include the following:
- Wisdom Tooth Removal – we suggest this in the case of wisdom teeth that have become impacted, that you cannot care for effectively, or that have begun growing in at an angle while threatening surrounding teeth.
- Gum Grafting – your gums may have become damaged beyond repair by issues like gum disease. Once your gums have pulled away from your teeth, it leaves your mouth at a high risk of periodontal illness, exposes the roots of your teeth, and creates an unsightly appearance. Surgery allows us to add additional tissue to areas that have receded and to direct your gums to lie flush against your teeth again, so you may regain oral health and an esthetically pleasing appearance.
Question: Why should I agree to oral surgery?
Answer: Surgery offers a wealth of benefits. We primarily suggest oral surgery to address the source of the problem or discomfort, to help you regain your oral health, and to protect surrounding teeth from problems like infection or misalignment. Surgery offers double-faceted improvement, allowing us to restore an existing concern, while preventing additional damage.
ABOUT YOUR CERRITOS ORAL SURGEON:
Dr. Shawn Hofkes and the staff at Cerritos Dental Surgery are highly qualified to address complex issues, including those that require oral surgery to correct. To schedule an appointment or consultation with Dr. Hofkes, contact us today by calling 562-584-4082. We proudly serve patients of all ages from Cerritos, Lakewood, Long Beach, Buena Park, and all surrounding communities.
