DentistryCan a Dentist Perform Oral Surgery Procedures?

Visiting a North York dentist and finding that you might need oral surgery can be daunting for anyone. But there is still a lot that one needs to know about oral surgery before going ahead and getting one. Suppose your dentist recommends you get oral surgery; the first question that pops up in your head is if you need to visit another specialist for the purpose? Are general dentists equipped with the skills and knowledge to carry out an oral surgery? In order to answer this question, let’s first understand the difference between a general dentist and an oral surgeon.

Distinction Between Dentists And Oral Surgeons

Dentist

Any general dentist is equipped with either of two educational qualifications, including Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD). Even though these degrees might sound different, there are few distinctions between them. Any individual with either of these degrees is equipped with the same level of education. It is all about the university that the individual completed their studies from. Furthermore, most general dentists are not known for specializing in oral surgery, but they have the training to carry out some specific oral procedures.

Oral Surgeon

Any surgeon specializing in the mouth, face, and jaw area surgical procedures. Apart from that, other dental procedures carried out by an oral surgeon include tooth extraction, dental implants, and even other complicated extractions.

Oral surgeons are also known for other surgical procedures such as tumor removal, soft tissue biopsies, complex jaw realignment, tooth extractions, and jaw bone fractures. Many oral surgeons will opt for surgical residency to enhance their expertise in complicated surgeries. Some even go through additional training to acquaint themselves with intravenous sedation and anesthesia processes.

Prevalent Oral Surgical Procedures Carried Out By General Dentists

General dentists might not be oral surgeons, but they too are equipped with skills and competence to offer common oral surgical procedures. These procedures include:

• Dental Implants: Any dentist is equipped with the skills and knowledge to fit a dental implant in your mouth. If your case is more complicated than usual, then your North York dentist can even refer you to an oral surgeon. For instance, suppose there is a shortage of bone for the implant, the dentist might ask you to see an oral surgeon get a bone graft.
• Tooth Extraction: For most tooth extraction procedures, it is often enough to visit a dentist for the purpose. However, there can be complex cases such as an impacted or wisdom teeth extraction that might require an oral surgeon. We say so because an impacted tooth cannot grow appropriately as it can be stuck in the gums, restricting the tooth’s growth. While most North York dentists are equipped with the skills and tools to tackle such cases, complicated cases might require the expertise of an oral surgeon.

Wrapping Up

Most of the usual dental procedures can be carried out by any dentist as they are certainly equipped with the skills and competence to carry out such procedures. However, in case your dental complexity is more challenging, it is better to go for an oral surgeon as they have undergone special training for the purpose.

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