Oral Surgery
Surgical care for lasting oral health
From removing a tooth that can no longer be saved to rebuilding the bone that will support an implant, surgical treatment here is planned with your long-term dental health in mind. We’ll evaluate the area, explain your options, and agree on a plan before anything is scheduled.
Our oral surgery services
All of it is carried out in-house, as part of a plan for the whole mouth rather than for a single appointment.
-
Tooth Extractions
When a tooth is badly decayed, broken, or infected and cannot reasonably be restored, removing it may be the healthiest option. We take the tooth out while protecting the surrounding bone and gum tissue as much as we can.
Removal is not the automatic answer. If the tooth can be saved with a filling, a crown, or root canal treatment, we’ll say so.
Often recommended for
- Severely decayed or broken teeth
- Teeth broken at or below the gumline
- Infection that cannot be treated another way
- Teeth that cannot reasonably be restored
-
Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth sometimes sit at an angle, come through only partly, or stay under the gum, which can make them difficult to keep clean and uncomfortable to live with.
We look at the position of each one on an X-ray before recommending anything, because not every wisdom tooth needs to be removed.
What we look at
- The position and angle of each tooth
- Room available at the back of the jaw
- Decay, infection, or gum inflammation
- The effect on the tooth beside it
-
Bone Grafting
Bone grafting rebuilds or preserves jawbone in areas where bone has been lost or is too thin to hold an implant. It can be done at the same time as an extraction to preserve the site, or as its own stage before an implant is placed.
Being told once that you have too little bone for an implant does not necessarily settle the question.
Helps make possible
- Implant treatment where bone is thin
- Preserving a site after a tooth is removed
- A stable foundation for the restoration on top
-
Dental Implant Placement
An implant is a small post placed in the jawbone to act as the foundation for a crown, a bridge, or a denture. Dr. Wei plans and places the implant and makes the restoration that goes on top, so the surgical and restorative stages stay with the same dentist.
Implants can
- Replace a single tooth or several
- Support a bridge or a denture
- Restore comfortable chewing and speech
Depending on your situation, extraction, bone grafting, and implant placement are sometimes completed at one appointment and sometimes planned as separate stages with healing time in between. Which of those applies to you is something the evaluation tells us.
What to expect
The same three stages, whichever procedure turns out to be the right one.
-
Evaluation
We examine the area and use digital imaging to understand the tooth, the bone around it, and the structures nearby.
-
Treatment planning
We explain what we found, what we recommend, and whether treatment is better done in one visit or in stages.
-
Treatment and healing
Afterwards we go through aftercare with you, and arrange a follow-up visit when one is needed.
Planned around what comes next
Surgical treatment is part of a plan for the whole mouth, not a single appointment. The dentist who evaluates the area is the dentist who carries out the procedure.
-
One dentist, start to finish
Dr. Wei plans the surgery and completes the restoration that follows it, so your care is not handed between offices.
-
Imaging before treatment
We use digital imaging to see the tooth, the bone around it, and the structures nearby before anything is done.
-
Explained in plain language
You’ll hear what we found, what we recommend, and what the alternatives are — before anything is scheduled.
Planning and cost
You’ll receive a personalized written estimate before treatment begins.
- Insurance
-
Sunstone Dental is currently in network with select Cigna and Guardian PPO dental plans. If you have another PPO plan, call us and we’ll check what it covers as an out-of-network provider.
Coverage for surgical treatment varies by plan. We’ll review your benefits and explain your estimated out-of-pocket cost first.
- Membership
-
Adult Membership includes 15% member savings on oral surgery. Membership is not dental insurance and its benefits cannot be combined with an insurance plan.
- Payment
-
Major credit and debit cards, HSA and FSA cards, and cash.
Not sure what procedure you need?
You don’t need to know the name of the procedure. A broken tooth, a tooth that aches, a gap where a tooth used to be, or a recommendation you were given somewhere else are all good reasons to come in. We’ll examine the area and talk you through the options before anything is scheduled.
Common Questions About Extractions & Oral Surgery
How do I know if a tooth really needs to be extracted?
Extraction is considered when a tooth cannot reasonably be restored or when keeping it would create a larger problem. If a filling, crown, root canal, or another treatment can predictably preserve the tooth, we will discuss that first. Removal is not our automatic answer to a damaged tooth.
Does a tooth extraction hurt?
The tooth and surrounding area are numbed with local anesthesia before the procedure. You may feel pressure or movement, but the goal is to keep sharp pain controlled. Some soreness afterward is expected, and we will give you instructions for the first few days of healing.
How long does it take to recover from a tooth extraction?
Recovery depends on the tooth, the complexity of the extraction, and your own healing. Many people return to normal daily activities fairly quickly, while the extraction site itself continues healing for longer. We will tell you what to avoid and when to contact us if healing is not progressing normally.
Do all wisdom teeth need to be removed?
No. We look at their position, available space, ability to keep them clean, and whether they are causing decay, inflammation, infection, or damage to the tooth beside them. A wisdom tooth that is healthy and not creating a problem does not automatically need surgery simply because it exists.
Will I need a bone graft after a tooth extraction?
Not every extraction needs one. Bone grafting may be considered when preserving the shape and volume of the site is important, especially if an implant may be placed there later. We can usually discuss that before the extraction so you understand the plan for the space afterward.
Can the extraction, bone graft, and dental implant be done at the same visit?
Sometimes. When the bone and surrounding tissues are suitable, more than one stage — including a dental implant — may be completed at the same appointment. Other sites heal more predictably when treatment is staged. Imaging and what we find during the evaluation determine which approach makes sense.
Ready to have it looked at?
We’ll examine the area, explain what we find, and go through your options with you.