Can General Dentists Perform Oral Surgery? If So, What Kind?

Understanding the types of dental procedures that a general dentist can perform is a great idea. This allows you to know what types of procedures will require a referral to see another type of dental professional. General dentists must earn either a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree, which allows them to perform certain types of oral surgeries.

Can general dentists perform oral surgery?

While oral surgeons often perform surgical procedures on patients to improve their overall oral health, general dentists can also perform surgery on their patients. This is convenient for patients who would rather have their primary dentist perform any necessary oral surgeries.

Kinds of oral surgery that general dentists can perform

The list below includes three common types of oral surgery that general dentists can perform. All dental patients can be given local anesthesia, so they should not feel anything during any of the following surgical procedures.

Tooth extractions

General dentists can perform both simple tooth extractions and complex tooth extractions. While the tooth that needs to be extracted can be any tooth, wisdom teeth are most commonly extracted. The standard type of extraction that a general dentist will perform is a simple tooth extraction, which means that the tooth can be seen above the gum line and is thus easier to extract.

Root canal therapy

Root canal therapy is a surgical procedure that general dentists perform on their patients. Root canal treatment is necessary when the pulp in a tooth is infected, as the tooth will be lost if treatment is ignored. A general dentist can perform this type of dental surgery because their training includes the treatment of root canals. Dentists who offer this surgical option to their patients will need to have the equipment necessary to perform the procedure, however, so not all dentists offer this type of oral surgery.

Dental implants

Many general dentists are offering dental implants as a tooth replacement option to their patients, making dental implant surgery one of the most common types of surgical procedures that they can perform. When a patient chooses an implant to replace a missing tooth, the implant needs to be surgically inserted into their jawbone. Once the implant has fully healed, the dentist will place a crown over the implant, which allows for a new and natural-looking tooth.

Are you in need of oral surgery?

Want to make an appointment with our general dentist so you can know for sure whether you are in need of an oral surgical procedure? When you make your first consultation appointment, you will undergo a thorough evaluation. This allows our dentist to understand what procedures you need, if any, in order to be in good oral health. If you happen to require oral surgery in order to experience good oral health, the entire procedure will be explained to you. Feel free to call us if you have any questions about oral surgery!

Request an appointment here: http://www.riversdentistry.com or call Rivers Family Dentistry at (979) 710-2216 for an appointment in our Bryan office.

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