Oral Surgery

When Patients Might Need Oral Surgery

Oral Diseases

Dr. Miller performs surgeries related to the mouth (oral surgery) and jaw (maxillofacial surgery). There are several conditions that require the help of an oral or maxillofacial surgeon, such as

• cavities
• periodontal/gum disease
• tooth loss
• oral cancers

Jaw Injuries and Dental Abscesses

In addition to treating patients for oral diseases, Dr. Miller also performs dental surgeries on patients with mouth and jaw injuries, and dental abscesses.

Emergency Oral Surgery for Dental Abscesses

Dental abscesses require immediate medical attention. When left untreated, dental abscesses may spread the infection to other parts of the body. If you notice an infection in your throat, mouth or jaw, call our office right away and we’ll make sure that you get the care you need.

Surgical Treatment Options

Oral diseases are often treated by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon who is able to remedy excessive or uneven gums by performing

• flap surgery
• gingival grafts
• other periodontal surgeries
• surgical extractions for abscessed teeth

Treatment for Gum Disease and Bacterial Infections

Dr. Miller also offers root canal therapy, scaling and root planning to patients who are experiencing early stages of gum disease and/or bacterial infection.

Other Oral Surgeries

In our office, we also perform

• teeth extractions
• bone grafts
• soft tissue surgery
• gingival grafting
• cancer screening
• tissue biopsies

If you'd like to learn more about any of these procedures, give us a call at 509.276.1992

We are experienced in routine as well as surgical extraction of teeth. Bone graft and soft tissue surgery, gingival grafting and cancer screening/tissue biopsies are some of the oral surgery procedures completed here at the office.

Bone Grafting

Bone grafting is a surgical procedure which involves the addition of bone (either natural bone or artificial) into extraction sites or bony defects to increase the amount of bone prior to placing a dental implant.

Tissue Grafting

A gingival graft (also called gum graft or periodontal plastic surgery) is a generic name for any of a number of periodontal surgical procedures in which the gum tissue is grafted. The aim may be to cover exposed root surfaces or merely to augment the band of keratinized tissue.

PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma)

Platelet Rich Plasma is an exciting, cutting edge development in the medical and dental communities. This technology has made headline news and been a topic frequenting TV shows with its capabilities of helping athletes heal quicker and more effectively than was previously capable. The patient's own blood is separated out to isolate blood plasma that is enriched with platelets. PRP is a concentrated source of autologous platelets. These cells contain and release several different growth factors (cytokines) which stimulate healing of bone and soft tissues, resulting in more effective and rapid healing.

Sinus Lifts/Bumps

In some cases there may not be enough bone in the upper jaw for implants to be placed. This is often due to having large sinuses. A sinus lift is a procedure where bone is placed at the bottom of the sinus so that an implant can placed.

Uncovering Impacted Teeth for Orthodontics

Under special circumstances, permanent teeth do not erupt properly. This procedure uncovers the impacted tooth and with the help of a bracket the orthodontist can guide the tooth into its proper position.

It is not uncommon for teeth other than wisdom teeth to be impacted, or blocked from entering the mouth. Fortunately, your orthodontist and Dr. Miller can bring the impacted tooth through the gum and into the correct position – giving you a beautiful healthy smile.

Pre-Denture Surgery

When teeth are removed it is essential that the underlying bone is smooth and contoured in preparation for a denture. If rough spikes and projections of bone remain under the tissue, they will create sore spots. Alveoloplasty is a procedure done to remove irregularities in the bone to help eliminate sore spots and improve the fit and comfort of the denture.

Extractions

A routine extraction is the removal of a tooth with minimum force, elevated from the socket easily in one piece, with no complications.

A surgical extraction is the removal of a tooth that has foreseeable complications:

• Extensive decay which may cause the tooth to break off at the gum line, requiring extra care to remove root tips.
• A curved root, making it difficult to elevate out of the socket.
• Bony involvement, requiring the dentist to section the tooth and remove it in pieces.
• Brittle teeth such as root canal treated teeth or cracked teeth which will require removal in sections.
• Removal of impacted teeth, i.e. Wisdom Teeth

Computer-guided Implant Placement

Computer-guided implant placement ensures enhanced safety and reliability and delivers convincing clinical and aesthetic results. Guided surgery allows the doctor to place the implants into the exact location previously planned in the virtual 3D computer model. The virtual information and model is sent off to Germany and a guide stent is returned in as few as 7 days. This improves implant location and helps assist the doctor in avoiding important structures like nerves and sinuses while keeping the implants in solid bone. Guided surgery dramatically reduces the amount of time the patient is in the dental chair.

Implant planning software

Surgical Guide