When you have a toothache, you might schedule an appointment with a dentist for treatment. If you’re experiencing symptoms that require more specialized care, you may need the professional help of an oral surgeon who treats a variety of dental and jaw issues. Since it may be difficult to pinpoint which conditions warrant a surgeon’s expertise, here’s a helpful guide to situations that may qualify.

When Should You Visit the Oral Surgeon?

Tooth Extraction

Dentists can perform simple extractions, but impacted teeth must be removed by an oral surgeon. Common procedures that require sedation including the removal of damaged and infected teeth or wisdom teeth extractions. After extractions, a restorative solution such as a dental implant may be required, depending on which tooth was pulled.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are solutions used to replace missing or extracted teeth, and open spaces can impact your overall confidence and oral health. Missing teeth can cause the surrounding teeth to shift, leading to alignment complications. The gum tissue and jaw bone in the area can also wear away without a tooth. To remedy this issue, oral surgeons insert titanium implants in the jaw, and then your dentist can install a prosthetic that looks and functions like a natural tooth.

Corrective Jaw Surgery

If you have persistent jaw pain or have been diagnosed with TMJ, you may want to visit a specialized surgeon to reposition and reset the jaw bone. TMJ is characterized by pain and compromised jaw movement, but corrective jaw surgery can address the issue and alleviate persistent discomfort. Corrective jaw surgery may also be used when overbites or underbites cannot be fixed with standard orthodontic alignments. After you heal, you should find activities like chewing and speaking more comfortable.

When patients in the Honolulu, HI, area are seeking a trusted oral surgeon to perform their procedure, they turn to Lyle C. Yanagihara, DDS. Specializing in dental implants, tooth removal, and jaw surgery, this professional and his team are committed to keeping up with the latest trends to deliver the highest quality of patient care. Browse through the office’s complete list of services online or call (808) 973-1433 to schedule an appointment.