Dental implants are small titanium posts that are surgically placed into the jawbone to replace missing teeth and roots. Once the area where the implant was placed has healed, a post is attached to the dental implants creating a strong foundation for fixed or removable replacement teeth such as crowns, bridges, or dentures.

Bone grafting is the replacement or enhancement of bone around teeth to reverse bone loss or enhance existing bone.  A sinus lift is a bone graft that adds bone to your upper jaw in the premolar and molar areas of your mouth. The grafting material can be taken from parts of the body or synthetic material. Bone grafting allows for proper support of dental implants or prostheses.

A tooth that can not be saved with restorative materials may need to be removed. Wisdom teeth that are deemed problematic are normally extracted to avoid any oral complications. During the procedure, the tooth is then gently loosened and removed.

An impacted tooth is a tooth that fails to fully pass through the gums.

Impacted wisdom and cuspid (or canine) teeth are fairly common. For impacted wisdom teeth, the most common procedure is extraction. For impacted canine teeth, extracting or surgically exposing a tooth to allow for the placement of an orthodontic bracket can create space for proper eruption, and orthodontics (braces) can be used to align the teeth.

Platelet Rich Growth Factors and Platelet Rich Fibrin are a form of mixed gel that can be applied directly into tooth sockets and other sites. Placing this material in tooth sockets after tooth extractions can improve soft tissue healing and positively influence bone regeneration.

These techniques offer a new approach to tissue regeneration. PRP derives from the centrifugation of a patient’s own blood and contains growth factors that influence wound healing. This is important in tissue repairing mechanisms. The use of PRP in surgical practice could have beneficial outcomes, reducing bleeding and enhancing soft tissue healing and bone regeneration.

A frenectomy is a simple surgical procedure performed to release the connection of the “frenum,” a connective muscle between two tissues. There are two types of oral frenectomies that are frequently performed on both adults and children for a variety of reasons.

A Labial Frenectomy is performed on the tissue that connects the lip to the gums. This may be performed on children or adults to aid with orthodontic treatment or even help with the proper fitting for a denture or appliance.

A Lingual Frenectomy may also be referred to as the release of tongue-ties (ankyloglossia). This procedure is performed on the connective tissue under the tongue. The procedure is often performed on neonatal patients to assist with nursing or on toddlers or older patients who need the surgery to help correct speech issues caused by limited movement due to the frenum.

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is similar to a sliding hinge that connects your jawbone to your skull. TMJ disorders can cause pain in the jaw joint and in the muscles that control jaw movement.

To treat TMJ disorders, first the cause has to be identified. Improper alignment due to genetics or injury, arthritis affecting the cartilage in the joint, malocclusion, and trauma can all cause TMJ disorders.