#1 Experienced Phoenix Oral Surgeons
OP Dental Care is a family-friendly oral surgery practice in Phoenix, AZ specializing in sedation dentistry, tooth extraction, periodontal surgery, endodontic surgery, dental implants, All-On-4 implants, and bone grafting!
At OP Dental Care, we are proud to offer a full range of surgical dental services in our modern dental office.
CONSCIOUS SEDATION DENTISTRY IN PHOENIX AZ
If you’re nervous about an upcoming visit to our office, avoid watching “Little Shop of Horrors,” “The Hangover” or select episodes of “Seinfeld.” Understand that the 1976 thriller “Marathon Man” has no basis in reality. All kidding aside, we get it. Root canals, fillings and even routine cleanings are a source of anxiety for some patients.
Conscious sedation — also known as twilight sleep, laughing gas or sleep dentistry — is a godsend for some people. It alleviates pain and discomfort while reducing anxiety. There are three levels of consciousness to choose from. At the minimal level, patients are mildly relaxed but responsive and mentally “all there.” The moderate dose causes drowsiness or full sleep, but patients are largely responsive if roused. Depending on which level they choose, most patients remember most or at least some of the procedure that took place. In any case, recovery from conscious sedation is fairly quick. All patients will need someone to drive them home.
TOOTH EXTRACTIONS IN PHOENIX AZ
Some teeth are so far gone with decay that even fillings won’t help. In many cases, sacrificing one tooth saves several others. Crowded teeth can lead to problems like tooth decay, infection, gum disease, trauma, physical pain and reluctance to smile. Our skilled oral surgeons provide tooth extraction, wisdom teeth removal, and other general dental care.
Nobody likes losing teeth, especially by choice, but there are lots of circumstances in which extractions make sense. Let’s talk through the different types:
- Simple extraction – If the tooth is completely visible above the gumline, the process is straightforward. A local anesthetic will numb the area and keep you comfortable. Using a tool called an elevator, Dr. Prokopets will loosen the tooth as much as possible. The tooth is then easily removed with forceps. You could be sore for a day or two, but there’s surprisingly little pain involved.
- Complicated or complex extraction – Impacted teeth, meaning those situated fully or partially beneath the gumline, are problematic. There’s a high risk for infection and other unhealthy conditions.
- Wisdom teeth extraction – Wisdom teeth are the third molars in the back of the jaw. They are the last teeth to emerge, and they sometimes don’t show up until people are well into their 20s. In some lucky patients, wisdom teeth cause no problems. Other patients don’t develop wisdom teeth at all.
- Ortho extraction – That’s short for orthodontia-related extraction. It’s not appropriate in every case, but some malocclusions (misalignment of teeth) are impossible to treat without removing one or more teeth. In some patients with narrow jaws and crowded teeth, there’s literally no room for improvement. A carefully timed ortho extraction could trigger spontaneous correction of malocclusion or prevent a world of hurt in the future.
PERIDONTAL TREATMENT IN PHOENIX AZ
Neglecting the gums is one of the worst oral hygiene mistakes you can make. Progressive gum disease, known as gingivitis, causes numerous problems. Severe cases can result in bone loss, tooth loss, or increased risk for diseases like diabetes, cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis. Smoking and poor oral hygiene are leading causes of periodontal disease. It also tends to run in families. Symptoms include recurring infection; receding gums; red, swollen or bleeding gums; deep pockets in the tissue around and between teeth; loose teeth; pain while brushing and flossing; and bad breath.
Even temporary gum infections should be contained right away, and gum surgery is recommended for advanced cases. Objectives of surgery include cleaning out all the bacteria beneath the gums, making it easier to care for your teeth, and preventing the progression of the disease. In chronic gingivitis, there are surgeries to reshape and fortify the bones that support the teeth.
Periodontics is the specialty of oral health concerned with the healthy maintenance and treatment of gums, supporting structures of the teeth, and the treatment of periodontal diseases. At OP Dental Care, we offer
BEST ENDODONTICS IN PHOENIX AZ
Sometimes, a nonsurgical root canal on its own isn’t enough to save a tooth. Endodontic surgery can accomplish a lot. X-rays don’t always provide ready answers for why a patient is in pain. Minor surgery often exposes tiny fractures and hidden canals deep in the tooth, sources of pain that weren’t apparent on X-rays. The most common kind of endodontic procedure is apicoectomy. It might also be called root end resection. It treats persistent inflammation or infection deep in the root following a root canal. In fact, the root tip is removed along with the problematic tissue.
Thanks to digital imaging, endodontic surgeries are minimally invasive and safe. Local anesthesia should be sufficient, and you’ll probably resume normal activities the day after surgery.
DENTAL IMPLANTS IN PHOENIX AZ
Many patients favor this option for missing teeth. Implants cost more than other solutions, but the replacement teeth that attach to them look completely natural. They function like real teeth, blend in with real teeth, are easy to care for, and last for ages. The term “implant” is often misunderstood. An implant is not the entire replacement tooth. It is only the artificial root that holds the replacement tooth, or crown, in place. Implants are made of titanium and other durable materials, and they’re bonded to your jawbone during outpatient surgery.
Implant surgery typically requires several appointments with time for healing in between. That’s especially true if a bone graft is necessary to support the implants. There’s no denying that implants require patience and time, but the payoff is huge. These replacement teeth are the next best thing to the real deal.
Phoenix Oral Surgeon at OP Dental Care, Dr. Prokopets, provides the highest quality dental implants in Phoenix, AZ, and the surrounding valley.
ALL ON 4 DENTAL IMPLANTS IN PHOENIX AZ
This sounds more like instructions in a football huddle, but it’s a pretty simple idea. It’s also a practical solution for patients who’ve lost more than 80% of their teeth on the top or bottom arch. In all-on-4/6/8 procedures, the implants serve as anchors for a sturdy fixed bridge of 12 to 14 teeth, that is, a complete top or bottom arch of non-removable replacement teeth. Bridges are constructed of materials like porcelain, zirconium, ceramics, or even high noble metals containing gold, platinum or silver. The number of implants used — four, six or eight — is determined by the amount of supportive bone mass in the jawbones.
All-on-4/6/8 therapy is minimally invasive. Because of the anesthesia, you’ll need a ride home. Recovery is only mildly uncomfortable and takes just two or three days for most patients.
Get All-On-4 Dental Implants from the best in Phoenix, AZ at OP Dental Care.
BONE GRAFTING IN PHOENIX AZ
Teeth, even artificial ones, depend on bone mass to hold them in place. If you’ve lost a significant amount of bone, you’ll probably have to supplement it before you get dental implants, hybrid dentures or other replacements. A bone graft adds volume, density and strength to your jaws. The material for the graft might come from your own body or a human tissue bank. It could even be synthetic bone. In any case, the replacement bone material is patched in where your own bone is missing. The idea is to trigger natural bone regeneration and growth. Hopefully, the graft will integrate with healthy new bone.
PRE-PROSTHETIC SURGERY IN PHOENIX AZ
This is any procedure that prepares hard and/or soft tissue in your jaw for replacement teeth. Dental prosthetics — such as implants, bridges and partial dentures — should fit well, function well, be comfortable, stay as clean as possible, prevent dental problems, be aesthetically pleasing, and last a long time. The patient’s investment should pay off for years to come if not forever. That’s a tall order. Fully preparing the mouth and jaw for prosthetics is crucial to success. Here are some common pre prosthetic surgeries:
- Alveoloplasty – The alveolar ridge is the bone surrounding the roots of teeth. Sometimes, usually after a tooth is extracted, the socket fails to fill in with bone and tissue as it heals. The alveolar ridge gradually deteriorates in that spot. Alveoloplasty augments the lost bone and restores the ridge to its former height and width. The ridge can then support implants or other restorative prostheses.
- Tori removal – In restorative dentistry, bone loss is always a challenge. In this case, though, extra bone is the problem. Tori are lumpy bone deposits that form in the upper jaw, lower jaw or hard palate. They can result from teeth-grinding, poor alignment of teeth or unlucky genetics. Tori are noncancerous and largely harmless, but they can cause oral hygiene issues, affect speech, or interfere with dental implants and complete dentures. Dentures could be hard to custom fit and might not seat correctly. Ongoing gum irritation is another possibility.
- Vestibuloplasty – Just like hotels, churches and apartment buildings, your mouth has an entryway called a vestibule. You can find it by pulling down your bottom lip. All that space below your gums and around the arch of your jaw is your oral vestibule. Expanding the depth and width of the oral vestibule creates more space and support for implants or dentures. It also makes it easier for patients to keep their mouths clean and healthy.
- Sinus elevation – Several conditions can cause people to lose bone or teeth in the back of the upper jaw. They include periodontal disease, poor hygiene, medical problems like cancer, or birth defects. Sometimes, when people lose molars in the upper jaw, their maxillary sinuses expand. Bone grafting to lift and support the sinus floor is called sinus elevation, sinus lift or sinus augmentation. The procedure is very common. The goal is to increase bone mass and fortify the upper jaw for implants. In most patients, full recovery for implant surgery takes an average of four to six months or longer, depending on individual case. Just remember that the results last a lifetime.
