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Longleaf Dental strives to provide outstanding dental care by offering a number of oral procedures to prepare patients for dental implant restoration surgery. Drs. Singleton and Clark perform surgical services including tooth extractions, bone grafting, and pre-prosthetic surgery. They also practice oral pathology to identify and treat various types of mouth disease. Proponents of periodontal health, Drs. Singleton and Clark combine the precision of technology with the beauty of nature to achieve remarkable results. |
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| Bone Grafting |
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After losing teeth due to injury or disease, many people experience significant bone loss near the affected area. Because the body sometimes reabsorbs the section of jawbone that is not being used, patients may be left with inadequate bone support for dental implant restoration surgery. Dr. Clark is able to rebuild the patient's jaw, right here in office, using human bone, creating a natural, secure foundation for each dental implant.
Bone grafting is necessary when dental implant |
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restoration is performed as an extraction-to-implant procedure. For these treatments, placing a bone graft around the dental implant provides the structural support that allows the patient's jaw to heal properly. Major bone grafting surgeries can be performed to correct serious jaw problems, which may have resulted from traumatic injury, tumor removal, or birth defects. Dr. Clark will assess your individual surgical needs and create a custom treatment plan for your dental implant restoration. Contact Longleaf Dental for your consultation. |
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Pathology
Longleaf Dental is concerned with his patients' overall health. Through oral pathology, we are able to assess a person's general as well as dental health by observing the tissues and membranes inside the mouth for indications of serious diseases. Discolored tissue (typically, red and white splotches), persistent sore throat, difficulty chewing and swallowing, and lumps inside the mouth are all warning signs that should be taken seriously. Drs, Singleton and Clark can examine changes in the lips, gums, tongue, cheeks, and mouth to diagnose and treat oral diseases, including cancer. If you have noticed suspicious symptoms, contact Longleaf Dental today to schedule an appointment. |
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Pre-prosthetic Surgery |
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| The preparation of your mouth before the placement of a prosthesis (full denture or partial denture) is referred to as pre-prosthetic surgery.
Some patients require minor oral surgical procedures in order to properly fit a denture and ensure comfort. A denture sits on the alveolar ridge (bone ridge), so it is very important that the bone is the proper shape and size. When teeth are extracted, the underlying bone is often sharp and uneven.
In order to properly fit a denture, the bone may require smoothing and reshaping. Frequently, exostoses or tori |
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(excess bone similar to bone spurs) need to be removed prior to denture insertion.
Extensive pre-prosthetic bone reduction is usually not required to prepare the ridge for implant surgery since dental implants require preservation of as much bone as possible for stabilization.
Only two dental implants are required to convert a loose lower denture into a secure over denture. This simple surgical procedure will significantly improve chewing efficiency, speech, esthetics, self image and self confidence. Implant dentistry is a simple way to significantly improve your quality of life. |
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Extractions |
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When is extraction recommended?
A tooth may need to be extracted - removed - for any one of a number of reasons:
- Your tooth is decayed or has become infected.
- A tooth is broken or fractured beyond repair.
- You have severe gum disease, affecting the supporting bone structure and tissues.
- Teeth may be growing in crooked because there is not enough space in your mouth. Tooth extraction allows room for the rest of the teeth to grow straight and proper.
- You do not have enough space for your wisdom teeth at the back of your mouth.
Antibiotics may offer temporary relief from symptoms (like pain and swelling), but having teeth removed or surgically addressed often is the only solution for permanently relieving your symptoms. |
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Comfortable and pain free
The first thing one of our dentists will do is administer a safe, gentle anesthetic to make sure you are comfortable and pain-free during the procedure. During a simple extraction, instruments called elevators will loosen the tooth, after which it will be removed using forceps. You may feel some pressure but you should not feel any pain.
When surgical extraction is required
If your tooth is severely damaged, a surgical extraction may be required. Sometimes there is not enough tooth to grab with the forceps or it may crumble during the extraction. After the anesthetic is administered, several small incisions will be made in your gum, exposing the tooth's roots. Some surrounding bone can be removed with a drill, allowing the tooth to be removed. The incisions, depending on size, are closed with stitches which usually dissolve in about a week's time. |
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Wisdom Teeth Removal
Wisdom teeth (or third molars) usually make their first appearance between the ages of 15 to 25. Wisdom teeth are a valuable asset to the mouth when they are healthy and properly positioned. However, most mouths are too small for these four additional molars and problems develop that require their removal. |
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| Why are wisdom teeth removed? |
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When is extraction typically recommended? |
- Your jaw may not be large enough accommodate them. A wisdom tooth may become impacted or unable to break through the gums.
- Sometimes wisdom teeth break partially through your gums. A flap of gum tissue begins to grow over the tooth and food and germs become trapped under the flap. This causes signs of infection - pain and red, swollen gums.
- Wisdom teeth may grow at an awkward angle.
Impacted teeth may lead to more serious problems, such as infection, cysts or tumors, tooth decay, gum disease, and even jaw fractures occasionally.
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- Wisdom teeth only partially erupt. This leaves an opening for bacteria to enter around the tooth and cause an infection. This, in turn, can lead to pain, swelling, jaw stiffness, and general illness.
- Poorly aligned wisdom teeth can damage adjacent teeth.
- A cyst may form, destroying surrounding structures such as bone or tooth roots.
Wisdom teeth are removed in a similar fashion as previously described above.
 Questions? Contact Longleaf
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Learn More about Oral Surgery
Longleaf Dental strives to provide complete care for all of our patients' oral surgery needs. From bone grafting to implant placement, we take pride in offering safe, effective surgery to prepare our patients for dental implant restoration. Serving patients in Albany and beyond, we offer the most advanced treatments for functional dental implants that are inspired by nature. If you are considering dental implants to replace missing or severely damaged teeth, contact our office today to schedule a consultation.
Questions? Contact Longleaf
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