An oral surgeon most commonly performs dental surgery for issues that stem from oral pathology, or diseases of the mouth, gums, and teeth. Typically, your family dentist will be the person to notice these issues and will refer you to an oral surgeon, such as those at Oral Surgery Associates of Alaska in Anchorage, because they are able to perform more complex procedures and have more expertise and the necessary medical equipment to handle advanced dental health problems.

Many people go their whole lives without seeing an oral surgeon, but here are a few times when you’ll need to visit one of these specialists:

• To Remove Impacted Wisdom Teeth: Usually, wisdom teeth will erupt during a person's adolescence or early adulthood. It is common for there to be no space behind the back molars for the wisdom teeth to come in. This causes them to become impacted or misaligned below the surface of the gum line. If this occurs, it can cause pain, irritation, and redness, and if it is left untreated, an infection, cyst, or tumor can develop.

• To Perform Corrective Jaw Surgery: You’ll need an oral surgeon to correct misaligned jaws and damage from an injury you sustained. Both types of jaw surgeries are extensive and require a trained oral surgeon and surgical team to help realign the facial bones and restore the area back to a normal position.

• To Improve Your Appearance: If you have been in an accident or are suffering from advanced gum disease that resulted in tooth loss or damage, cosmetic oral surgery could improve your smile. Common cosmetic dental procedures include tooth replacement, dentures, veneers, and dental implants.

When you receive care from the oral surgeons at Oral Surgery Associates of Alaska, you will be relieved from the discomfort you've been living with due to gum disease, impacted teeth, or another dental issue. To schedule an appointment with this Anchorage cosmetic dental care team, call (907) 561-1430. You can also learn more about their dental surgery services by visiting them online.