Procedures-Norwich Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons, P.C.-dental implants, wisdom teeth, reconstructive surgery, anesthesia

Dental Implants

In many situations, dental implants can give back patients their confident smile. The benefits are improved esthetics, the ability to eat comfortably and a clean, healthy oral environment for the patient.

Dental Implants are small prosthetic posts that are placed into the bone of the upper or lower jaw. They act as replacements for the root portion of lost natural teeth and also serve as an anchor for replacement teeth. Dental implants look and feel exactly like natural teeth -- in fact, no-one will be able to tell the difference. Dental implants are appropriate for almost anyone who is currently missing teeth or is at risk of losing teeth.

There are many different types of dental implants available. Dr. Berke has extensive experience in dental implants and would be pleased to discuss the benefits of implant prosthetics with you. Ask about implant restorative treatment at the time of your consultation.

Please click on the following link for detailed information regarding dental implants:

Implant Innovation

Bone Grafting

A key to implant success is the quantity and quality of the bone where the implant is to be placed. The upper back jaw has traditionally been one of the most difficult areas to successfully place dental implants due to insufficient bone quantity and quality, and the close proximity to the sinus. Sinus bone grafting can help correct this problem by raising the sinus floor and developing bone for the placement of dental implants. Grafting of the socket can minimize the bone loss that usually occurs following tooth removal, preserving the patient's bone for subsequent implant placement.

Removal of impacted teeth, including wisdom teeth
		Tooth extraction is the removal of the tooth from its socket in the bone. If a tooth has been damaged by decay or a fracture, your dentist will try to repair it and restore it with a filling, crown or other treatment. Sometimes, though, the damage is too extensive for the tooth to be repaired. This is the most common reason for extracting a tooth.
Wisdom teeth, also called third molars, often are extracted either before or after they come in. They commonly come in during your late teen years or early twenties. Impacted teeth get stuck in the jaw and often need to be removed if they are decayed or cause pain. Wisdom teeth that have emerged partially may be blocked by other teeth or may not have enough room to come in completely. This can irritate the gum, causing pain and swelling, which requires the tooth to be removed. Current thinking advocates the early removal of many wisdom teeth before they become symptomatic. Patients should be evaluated for wisdom tooth removal by age 14.

Anesthesia, including conscious sedation, and general anesthesia

Conscious sedation is an anesthetic technique that utilizes oral medications and nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to create a state of relaxation and diminished awareness. This technique is advantageous for patients that have mild anxiety and fear, and may be used for children and adults depending upon the behavior of the child and level of anxiety of the adult patient.

Intravenous sedation is a technique that utilizes intravenous and inhalation agents to help relax a patient that is anxious. This is a good technique for patients that have mild to moderate anxiety or fear of dental procedures. Patients treated with intravenous sedation usually have little to no memory of the dental procedure being performed.

General Anesthesia is an anesthetic management technique, which uses intravenous and inhalation agents to render a patient completely unconscious (asleep) for the surgical procedure. This is an excellent technique for anxious and fearful patients, as they are entirely unaware of the surgical experience. General Anesthesia is commonly done along with wisdom tooth surgery. It is our goal to remove pain and anxiety from the oral surgery experience. Our commitment to each patient's safety and comfort is made possible by the utilization of state-of-the-art anesthetic techniques and highly trained staff.

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