Oral Surgery
We use the latest in techniques, technology, and safe materials to provide you with expert care before, during and after your operation.
Oral Surgery Services
“Surgery” can be an intimidating word, especially when it comes to an area as sensitive as your mouth. At Nashville Restorative Dentistry we do everything in our power to make sure that you are comfortable with and confident in your options to pursue a healthier and pain-free life, whether that means extracting a tooth, grafting to prepare for a dental implant, or repair areas of gum recession.
First, we make sure you are part of the process, walking you through all of your options and working together to choose the treatment plan to best accomplish your goals and priorities.
Second, we make you as comfortable as possible during your procedure, using a full suite of the most advanced and effective sedation dentistry techniques available.
Finally, we always provide the supportive follow up care that you deserve - utilizing natural products to keep you comfortable and keeping in touch with you to ensure you have everything you need to heal well.
Wisdom Tooth Extraction
Wisdom tooth extractions are often a preventative measure that can save you from future pain, infection, and tooth decay.
Wisdom tooth extraction is a procedure we frequently perform. This is because many patients’ jaws aren’t adequately sized to allow their wisdom teeth to come into an ideal position. They may come in misaligned or in a way that makes them difficult to clean - frequently creating the health risks of cavities and gum disease. Often, the best course of action is to remove them as soon as possible.
Generally speaking, it is best to get wisdom teeth removed at a younger age (teenage years to early 20’s) because the surrounding bone is less dense and the teeth aren’t fully formed. As patients get older the surgery becomes more difficult, but is by no means impossible.
At Nashville Restorative Dentistry, we follow a very specific protocol after the removal of wisdom teeth to decrease the likelihood of dry socket or poor bone healing leading to cavitation areas. When the teeth are removed, we thoroughly debride the socket removing any remaining follicle and ligament. We then infiltrate ozone gas into the socket to kill any microorganisms that may be present. Lastly, we fill the sockets with [platelet rich fibrino (PRF),] to speed your healing and recovery and decrease your infection risk.
Think it’s time to evaluate you or your children for wisdom tooth extraction? We’d love to sit down with you and see if it’s the right choice to ensure a pain-free life and healthy smile.
Pinhole Gum Grafting
A less-invasive, modern technique for treating gum recession and root sensitivity.
Gum recession can be an unnatractive and uncomfortable situation, but it can also be detrimental to your health as well. Unhealthy gums represent an unobstructed pathway for bacteria to get into your body, causing all kinds of health issues.
Recessed gums are usually associated with gingivitis, and happens when the gum line is worn down or pulled away from the teeth. This is absolutely an aesthetic issue, but in particularly bad cases it can leave the root of the tooth exposed.
Many people that think that traditional tissue grafts are the only option available to someone who is suffering from gum recession, but there are newer, more modern options available as well. Pinhole gum grafting doesn’t use scalpels, grafts, or sutures. Instead, a small hole is made in the gums, which allows specially-made instruments to reposition the receded part of the gums back where they belong.
Are your gums not where you think they should be? We’d be happy to help. Schedule an appointment today and we’ll discuss your options and how we can get you back on the road to a happy, healthy life.
Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF) Therapy
A natural and effective therapeutic process for helping you increase the speed and quality of your healing.
Platelet Rich Fibrin, or PRF, Therapy is often used in wisdom tooth extraction to improve the healing process. However, PRF is extremely versatile and can be used in a variety of dental procedures.
PRF treatment is a relatively simple and straightforward procedure. We start by drawing a small amount of your own blood (taken beforehand) which is centrifuged to create a PRF membrane. This membrane, which is placed back into the surgical area, is concentrated with different growth factors and cells to enable your body to more quickly and effectively repair soft and hard tissues (i.e. gums and bones). PRF therapy is part of our protocol for predictable healing following extractions, implant placement, as well as sinus and bone graft surgeries.
Wondering if PRF can help you get back on your feet after a dental procedure? We’d love to help. Schedule an appointment with us and we’ll discuss all of your recovery options.
Sinus Lifts / Bone Grafts
Procedures designed to allow the effective placement of dental implants.
Sinus lifts, bone grafts, and socket preservation grafts are sometimes necessary procedures to create an adequately-sized area of healthy bone for the effective placement of dental implants.
In some cases, your natural anatomy or the way you’ve healed following tooth removal leaves an area where there isn’t enough bone width or height to securely place a dental implant. This is a problem when planning dental implants because an implant needs a stable base in the bone to be effective and long lasting.
Interested in replacing missing teeth and want to know if you are an ideal candidate? Maybe you are wondering if you need a dental implant at all. We’d love to talk with you and see what your best options are. Schedule an appointment with us today!