You can rely on your general dentist for routine preventive care as well as a variety of restorative treatments. But if you have an advanced dental issue that requires oral surgery, it’s often best to seek the services of a specialist – namely, an oral surgeon. If you’re visiting an oral surgeon for the first time, you may find yourself wondering what makes them different than a regular dentist. Below is a closer look at what separates the two.
Education and Training
Both general dentists and oral surgeons are expected to complete four years of dental school in order to earn a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or a Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD). However, after graduating from dental school, oral surgeons must enroll in a hospital-based residency program and complete four to six years of advanced training. As a result, oral surgeons tend to be far more experienced than general dentists when it comes to performing particularly complex treatments.
Procedures Performed by an Oral Surgeon
General dentists typically focus on preventive care, which means they take steps to address dental issues while they’re still small or stop them from happening in the first place. Meanwhile, oral surgeons perform a number of specialized treatments in order to resolve a wide range of issues involving the mouth, jaw, and face. Some of the procedures your oral surgeon might offer include:
- Tooth extractions for teeth that are impacted or broken off at the gumline.
- Dental implant placement for filling in the gaps in your smile left by missing teeth.
- Bone grafting for correcting bone loss in the jaw.
- Facial cosmetic surgery for reducing facial wrinkles and fine lines.
- Jaw surgery for severe bite problems.
Do You Need to See an Oral Surgeon?
There are many different circumstances where you might benefit from seeing an oral surgeon, such as having wisdom teeth that are unable to erupt properly. In many cases, your general dentist may refer you to an oral surgeon if they determine that you need a type of specialized treatment that they do not offer at their own practice.
Remember, seeing an oral surgeon means you are putting your smile in the hands of a highly trained expert. Regardless of whether you need dental implants, tooth extraction, or another kind of procedure, you can count on your oral surgeon to provide the high-quality, fully personalized care that your smile deserves.
About Our Practice
At Northern Virginia Oral, Maxillofacial & Implant Surgery, our highly-trained oral surgeons in Reston are proud to be able to bring our patients the top-of-the-line care they deserve. We offer a full menu of oral surgery procedures for addressing a wide range of oral health problems, from impacted wisdom teeth to injured jaws. If you have an issue that requires the attention of an oral surgeon, you can schedule an appointment with our team by visiting our website or calling (703) 736-1640.