ORAL SURGEONS FORT WAYNE
Our in-house Oral Surgeons can diagnose and treat all different types of mouth and jaw issues.
Call (260) 264-8237 today for your appointment!
First-Time Patient?
We will work with most insurances to get your Consultation, Exam, x-rays, and Cleaning for no cost to you!
Who We Are
Our Oral Surgeon Fort Wayne office can only be as efficient and welcoming as its staff. This is why our team is proud of their friendly, well-trained employees! We are a group that is passionate about making our patients feel at home. To provide efficient, comprehensive and supportive treatment, we will put you first. You can trust us to be open with you regarding possible treatment options, as well as the risks associated with treatment and how we can best meet your needs.
Each patient is treated by a highly trained staff that strives to be fun and energetic. Each member of our staff has years of expertise in providing the best care for patients. By attending seminars and continuing education, we strive to keep up-to-date with the latest technology.
Our Oral Surgery Services
Wisdom Tooth Extractions
If impacted wisdom teeth are not treated, they can cause serious oral problems. Wisdom teeth can also cause damage to adjacent teeth and gums. To avoid these problems and ensure great oral health, we recommend that wisdom teeth be removed as soon as possible. Our Cone Beam CT scanner can take a detailed image of your jaw and teeth to make sure that difficult or high-risk wisdom teeth are extracted as quickly and painlessly as possible.
If you have any of these symptoms, your wisdom teeth may need to be extracted:
- Stiffness or jaw pain
- Gums that are bleeding or irritated
- The jaws are swelling
- Bad breath (halitosis).
- Chewing can cause pain
Facial Treatment for Trauma
A sports injury or work accident can cause facial trauma. It could also lead to a broken bone, facial lacerations, or even a knocked out tooth. Three types of facial trauma exist: tooth injuries, soft tissue injuries and bone injuries. All three require different skills and procedures. No matter what procedure you require for full recovery, your facial injury treatment will go smoothly.
Full Mouth Reconstruction
Although a full-mouth reconstruction can create a gorgeous, functional smile, our surgeons also examine the function of your jaw, teeth, gums and mouth as a whole. It ensures your smile looks better and that any underlying problems such as gum disease or misalignment are addressed. We will perform a thorough evaluation of your mouth and take digital x-rays. After that, we’ll discuss all of the options available to you, including relaxing sedation.
Based on your individual dental needs, our full-mouth reconstruction plan could include:
- Tooth extraction
- Soft tissue recontouring
- Regenerative tissue therapy
- Corrective jaw surgery
- Occlusal adjustment
- Dental implants
- Treatment for gum disease
- Orthodontics
- Bridges and crowns
- Root canals
Jaw Surgery
A jawbone that is abnormally developed can cause more problems than just a distorted face, particularly in terms of the facial profile. Badly placed jaws can lead to serious problems in your oral health, such as difficulty swallowing and chronic TMJ pain. Corrective jaw surgery (orthognathic), can correct these problems by moving the jaw bone to a better position. Our Oral Surgeons will work closely with you and your dentist to develop a personalized treatment plan that improves both your facial appearance and the function of the jawbone.
Symptoms of a jaw imbalance include the following:
- Tight swallowing, chewing or biting
- Migraines are chronic
- Protruding jaw
- Receding chin
- Chronic pain in the TMJ
- Facial trauma
- A unbalanced appearance of the facial features
- Obstructive sleep apnea
Impacted Teeth
“Impacted teeth” are teeth that have become stuck or blocked in their jawbones, in the gum tissue, or in the teeth of other teeth. These teeth are not able to erupt normally. These can be either partially or completely impacted. If the surrounding gums are infected, or if nearby teeth become damaged, it can cause serious oral health problems. Every tooth is important in maintaining proper oral function. Therefore, it’s crucial to treat impacted teeth. These problems can be identified and treated by our Fort Wayne Oral Surgeons before they cause serious oral health issues.
A impacted tooth could be due to:
- Overcrowding
- Extra teeth (wisdom teeth)
- There is no room for a proper eruption
- Tooth displacement
- Rare oral growths
We use the latest Oral Surgery technologies to recommend the perfect treatment for your mouth
Why choose an Oral Surgeon?
The unique skills and education of oral and maxillofacial doctors allow them to carry out complex operations in the neck and head regions. This includes the jaw and mouth. After completing the four year dental school program, an oral surgeon is surgically trained in a residency program that lasts four to six years. This includes medical students, residents and fellows. The extensive education and training that oral surgeons receive is unmatched in dentistry and gives them an advantage over other professionals in terms of patient care and quality. Our Fort Wayne Oral Surgeons are proud to be able offer comprehensive dental care that’s backed up by years of experience and sound education.
Advanced training is available for oral surgeons in the following areas:
- Facial trauma
- Wisdom tooth extraction
- Surgery for Orthognathic (jaws)
- Dental implants
- Oral biopsies
- Bone grafting
- Anesthesiology
- TMJ Disorder
- Reconstructive surgery
The Right Experience & Technology
Their expertise and experience alone will provide exceptional care. However, surgeons can also offer you the latest and most advanced surgical technology and techniques. We offer a range of services, including the Cone Bean CT scan and virtual surgery planning. Our goal is to continually train and improve our technology so that you can get the best oral care for your family.
Our dentists have a deep understanding of the anatomy of the facial features, such as the skull, jaw and mouth. This allows them to diagnose and treat complicated injuries or functional problems. It also allows them to restore the aesthetic appeal to the faces. Whatever your needs are, we will provide the best treatment to give you a healthy and beautiful smile!
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the best time for Wisdom Tooth removal?
Wisdom teeth can be removed at 16 years of age, but there are many ages that may need to be extracted. Three factors are used to determine when wisdom teeth should be removed:
- Patients should be younger. Wisdom teeth problems are less likely in younger patients. If your doctor or dentist has indicated otherwise, it is a good idea to get your wisdom teeth out as soon as possible.
- Root Formation: It is time for wisdom teeth to be removed if the roots are less than 1/3 of their original size. There are more complications when wisdom teeth are removed if there is root formation of over 1/3.
- The Tooth’s Position: This is an important consideration when deciding whether or not to take out your wisdom teeth. Problems such as infections and cavities can result if the wisdom teeth cannot reach a healthy position.
How much can I expect to pay to have wisdom teeth be removed?
Every patient has different needs. Our team will assess your situation and estimate your cost of treatment. Each case is different and each one will require different surgical procedures. The average wisdom tooth removal cost is $1,400.00. For four wisdom teeth that have been erupted, it could cost as little as $500 with local anesthesia.
What is the recovery time?
It is best to restrain your activities for the first 2 days to let your mouth heal. Patients usually feel unable to return to normal daily activities for at least four days, or 96 hours after their surgery. Up to 7-10 days after surgery, the patient may still feel tenderness and swelling. The patient can continue to rinse until the end of day 30, but typically there will be no pain from day 10 through day 30.
What is a dental implant?
Implants are artificial tooth roots that replace missing teeth. To replace the missing teeth, crowns, bridges or any other substitute teeth can be connected to implants.
It is important that the root of the tooth be replaced as well as its visible portion. This is to ensure that the natural roots can remain in bone and stimulate bone growth.
The bone supporting the teeth becomes weaker when they are lost. This is called bone resorption. The bone can still be saved by placing dental implants to replace missing root. Implants can perform the same function as natural tooth roots because the bone forms strong bonds to them.
Am I a candidate to receive a dental implant treatment?
Nearly all people who are missing one or more of their teeth, and have good general health, can be candidates for dental implant treatment. Implant treatment can be hindered by uncontrolled diabetes or smoking. Implant treatment is possible for almost everyone except for very few medical conditions.
More important than any medical condition is the quality and quantity of bone available for placement. Even those with significant bone loss can still be eligible for treatment. Additional procedures are available to increase or decrease bone density. This type of treatment has made it possible to treat thousands of people who wouldn’t have otherwise been eligible.
How do I go about inquiring on dental implants?
- Consultation and examination are the first steps to determine if you’re a good candidate for dental implant treatment. This may involve x-rays or taking impressions to create models of your teeth. Additional x-rays may be required if you are already experiencing significant bone loss. Our Oral Surgeons will examine the areas of the mouth that have lost teeth, as well as the bone density to place implants. We will evaluate your options for replacement teeth and recommend the best type. An evaluation of your medical history will determine if you are a good candidate for dental implant treatment.
- Implant Placement Procedure. Implants are placed into the bone by following a conventional surgical procedure. The implants can be left unattended for 3-9 months to allow the bone to bond with them. Or, they may be “loaded” immediately with new teeth. The best procedure for you will be determined by your dentist and surgeon. You will have temporary substitute teeth in any situation. This ensures that you are not without your teeth while you undergo treatment.
- The Abutment Attachment Process. After the healing process is complete, an extension or connector called an “abutment” will be attached to each implant. This temporary component is used to shape the gum tissue. Sometimes it is the final abutment. These abutments will be permanently attached to permanent replacement teeth.
- Fabrication of replacement teeth. To take impressions and place temporary teeth or to adjust the shade of the replacement teeth to your mouth, your dentist will need to make several appointments. Between these visits, your laboratory technician will create the replacement teeth as well as the supporting structures to attach them to the implants.
Is Implant treatment covered by medical insurance?
Some people are eligible for medical insurance if they are suffering from medical problems or are missing their entire teeth.
The policy that covers you will determine the extent of your coverage. Other types of injuries, such as those resulting from work-related accidents, are also covered. Medical coverage is rare other than in these cases. Implant treatment is not covered by Medicare.
How to pronounce orthognathic, you ask?
Orthognathic can be pronounced ortho-nathic or orthog-nathic. ( or-tho-nath’ ik, or-thog’ nath’ ik)
What is orthognathic?
Ortho, which is Greek, means straight, correct, or true. Gnathic, a Greek term that refers to jaws, is from the Greek language. This means that the jaws should be correct or to have correct sizes, functions and relationships to one another and to the facial bone skeleton.
Who needs Orthognathic surgery?
People who have the following: Underbite (class III), Overbite (class II), Open Bite (where front teeth do not touch each other and cannot cut food, or the back teeth touch each other when they are biting together), and other poor bites (malocclusions), such as Cross Bite.
To correct any skeletal problems, orthognathic surgery can also be performed to adjust the bone structure of the head. Obstructive sleep apnea is one example of such a problem. The patient can breathe easier by moving their jaws. This can correct any facial disharmonies, such as unaesthetic smiles or lip incompetence.
Which are the advantages?
The most important benefit is an improvement in the bite (or occlusion) and jaw function. Other benefits include improved airway and lip function as well as overall oral health.
What if I need Orthognathic surgery but want other options?
Some orthodontics (tooth movements), may partially compensate for malocclusion. This could lead to undesirable side effects such as periodontal disease, poor tooth wear, and facial changes that are not attractive. It is crucial to consider the whole dento-facial system before making a final decision.
