Oral surgery can help you protect your smile and relieve painful conditions. Our Glenview, IL, dentists, Dr. Sean Cullinan, Dr. Stella Haralampopoulous, and Dr. Alex Figuero, share a few reasons that you may need oral surgery.

You have impacted wisdom teeth

Ideally, wisdom teeth should erupt from the surface of the gums with no problem. While some lucky people in the Glenview area have absolutely no issues with their wisdom teeth, others face pain, infections and other unpleasant symptoms when the teeth are blocked by bone and gum tissue. Whether the teeth are completely blocked, or impacted, or partially impacted, oral surgery is needed to remove them. You'll be restricted to a soft diet for about a week following your surgery, but can soon resume your regular diet.

You have a condition that affects your jaw

A misaligned jaw may affect your appearance, cause pain and damage to your teeth and gums, and make it difficult to chew or speak clearly. During surgery, the alignment of the jaw is corrected. Orthodontic treatment may also be needed in addition to surgery.

You want to restore a lost tooth with a dental implant

If you choose dental implants to replace a missing tooth, you'll need an oral surgical procedure to place the titanium posts in your jawbone. Dental implants fuse to your jawbone and replace natural tooth roots. They're combined with a dental crown to create a brand new tooth that feels very natural.

Your dentures have worn down your gum tissue or bone

Wearing removable dentures for many years can occasionally cause loss of bone or gum tissue. Bone grafts may be used to restore lost bone, or you may need soft tissue manipulation or jaw realignment, depending on the nature of your problem.

Whether you think you may need oral surgery or are concerned about a cavity or other dental problem, the dentists at Family Dental in Glenview, IL, offer expert treatment and compassionate care. Call Dr. Cullinan, Dr. Haralampopoulous, and Dr. Figuero at (847) 998-1281 to schedule your appointment.