Oral Surgery
We use modern techniques, advanced technology, and safe materials to provide you with expert care before, during and after your surgery.
Oral Surgery Services in Nashville, TN
At Nashville Restorative Dentistry we do everything in our power to make sure that you are comfortable and confident with your options to pursue a healthier and pain-free life, whether that means extracting a tooth, grafting to prepare for a dental implant, or repairing areas of gum recession.
- First, we make sure you are part of the process, walking you through all of your options and empowering you to choose the treatment plan that will best accomplish your goals and priorities.
- Second, we focus on keeping you comfortable and relaxed during your procedure, offering several sedation dentistry options if desired.
- Finally, we always provide the supportive follow up care that you deserve - utilizing natural products to keep you comfortable and staying in touch with you to ensure you have everything you need and are healing well.
Learn more about the oral surgery services Dr. Jones and Dr. Estes offer patients in Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin, and Cool Springs.
Wisdom Tooth Extraction
Wisdom tooth extractions are often a preventative measure that can save you from future cavities, infection, and pain.
Wisdom tooth extraction is a common procedure we perform because many patients’ jaws aren’t adequately sized to allow their wisdom teeth to fully develop and grow into an ideal position. They may become impacted or partially emerge in a way that makes them difficult to clean - frequently creating the health risks of cavities, gum disease, or infections. Often, the best course of action is to remove them before complications arise.
Generally speaking, it is best to have 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 a person gets older, removal can become more difficult due to fully developed roots and surrounding bone.
At Nashville Restorative Dentistry, we follow a very specific protocol before, during, and after the removal of wisdom teeth to decrease the likelihood of dry socket or poor bone healing leading to cavitation areas. Before any surgery, a 3D CT scan will be evaluated to confirm that the tooth is not positioned in a way that could complicate removal or put important structures like nerves at risk. When the teeth are removed, we thoroughly clean the socket to remove any remaining follicle and ligament. We then diffuse ozone gas into the socket to destroy any microorganisms that may be present. Lastly, we fill the sockets with platelet rich fibrin (PRF), to increase your healing, speed your recovery, and decrease your infection risk.
Cavitations - A related condition we routinely evaluate for is the presence of cavitations resulting from past extractions. These areas can be referred to as AVN (avascular necrosis), NICO (neuralgia inducing cavitational osteonecrosis), IBD (ischemic bone disease), among others. These areas of inadequate healing and poor bone health can become locations where microorganisms are trapped, creating a source of toxins that cause or worsen existing systemic health problems. Advanced imagery from a 3D Cone Beam CT scan is necessary to visualize the presence of most of these areas. Treatment consists of surgically opening the cavitation, thoroughly cleaning out unhealthy tissue, diffusing ozone gas into the site, and filling the area with PRF or grafting material before closing with suture.
Pinhole Gum Grafting
A less-invasive, modern technique for treating unattractive gum recession and root sensitivity.
- No incisions or sutures
- Quicker recovery than traditional grafting
- Restores the natural appearance of your gumline
- Capable of treating multiple areas at one time
Gum recession can be unattractive and uncomfortable, but it can also be detrimental to your long term oral health. The risk from gum recession comes from the exposure of the tooth root. You may notice an area of recession or asymmetry in your gum line that is visible when you smile or an area that is sensitive to cold liquids or brushing your teeth. These are usually the first signs that will alert you to the presence of gum recession. Once the root surface is exposed, the risk for developing more significant tooth problems is raised.
- Exposed root structure is more susceptible to wear from brushing and abrasive toothpastes and can lead to the development of sensitive grooves or notches in the tooth root.
- Exposed root structure is also much less resistant to the development of cavities than enamel is. It is not uncommon to see cavities develop on areas of slight gum recession, even in mouths that have previously been unaffected by tooth decay.
- Recessed gums are also associated with increased presence of gum disease. Inflammation from this infection can cause damage to the bone surrounding teeth, resulting in potential tooth loosening or loss.
Many people that think that painful and invasive traditional tissue grafts are the only option for those suffering from gum recession, but there are more modern options available. Pinhole gum rejuvenation doesn’t use scalpels, grafts, or sutures. Instead, a small hole is made in the gums, which allows specially designed instruments to gently loosen and reposition the receded gums to cover the exposed roots. This near immediate improvement quickly eliminates sensitivity and restores your confidence in the healthy, attractive smile you deserve.
Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF) Therapy
A natural and effective therapeutic process for reducing your infection risk and helping you heal more quickly after surgery.
Platelet Rich Fibrin, or PRF, Therapy concentrates your body's ability to heal and is an important part of our protocol for nearly every surgery we perform. PRF is extremely versatile and can be used in a variety of dental surgeries.
PRF treatment is a relatively simple and straightforward procedure. A small amount of your blood is drawn at the beginning of your surgical appointment and is then centrifuged to create a PRF membrane. This membrane, which is placed back into the surgical area, is concentrated with different growth factors and cells which 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, wisdom tooth removal, tissue grafting, as well as sinus and bone graft surgeries.
Sinus Lifts / Bone Grafts
Procedures designed to preserve or create enough stable bone 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 volume of healthy bone for the stable and 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 presents a problem when planning dental implant placement because an implant needs a stable base surrounded in bone to be effective and long lasting. This again highlights the necessity of 3D CT scan technology when planning for grafting needs and implant placement. With proper pre-procedure planning, we can eliminate unexpected anatomical complications that can arise when only standard two dimensional xrays are used.
Modern grafting procedures now allow us to prevent significant bone loss following an extraction or grow new bone volume when needed. Grafting a mixture of bone and PRF into a socket at the time of extraction preserves bone volume when the intent is to replace the missing tooth with an implant. In sinuses that don't have the needed bone height to safely place a properly sized implant, membranes and bone can be added to grow the necessary amount of bone to later place implants.
Interested in replacing missing teeth and want to know if you are an ideal candidate for dental implants? We’d love to talk with you and walk through your best treatment options. Schedule an appointment with us today!