Oral Surgery
Oral Surgery in Dillon, CO
The professional team at our Dillon dental office understands that the idea of oral surgery causes stress for many patients. But advances in dental medicine, combined with state-of-the-art technology, enable us to perform surgical procedures that minimize post-operative discomfort and protect your oral health. 
Your comfort is our top priority, and we will do everything possible to reduce your anxiety and help you feel at ease. We can offer sedation options that address your concerns, and we will be there to provide support and encouragement before, during, and after any surgery.
Drs. Mitchell and Schneider have extensive education and experience in performing surgical procedures like tooth extraction, gum surgery, and bone grafting. We strive to preserve teeth whenever possible, but severe decay deep within the tooth, significant loss of tooth structure, or a severe abscess may make extraction necessary.
Extensive periodontal disease may require gum surgery to prevent further infection or tooth loss. Bone grafting is a type of surgery that may be necessary to build up bone in the jaw after a tooth is extracted.
Tooth Extraction
Keeping all your teeth healthy and functional is the ideal, but sometimes circumstances leave us no option but to extract a tooth. We know that the idea of losing a tooth is traumatic enough, but combined with the prospect of extraction, it can be overwhelming. Drs. Mitchell and Schneider and our professional team are trained to make the experience as stress-free as possible. Before we schedule surgery, we will explain why it’s necessary and answer all your questions fully.
Gum Surgery
If advanced periodontal disease cannot be controlled with deep cleaning or medication, gum surgery may be required. One of the problems caused by periodontal disease is the formation of pockets as the gum tissue pulls away from the teeth. These pockets become a convenient area for bacteria to thrive, continuing the infection and disease cycle. As the gums heal following surgery, they will fit more snugly around the teeth, reducing the risk of further infection. Reducing the size of these pockets makes it easier for the patient and hygienist to keep the area clean.
Dental Bone Grafting
When you lose a tooth, the bone surrounding the missing root begins to erode because there is nothing to support it. The gum also shrinks as the bone deteriorates, and the cosmetic result is a sunken appearance of the gums. If you are having a dental bridge placed to fill the empty space, bone grafting can correct the cosmetic appearance of the gums because it actually helps stimulate the body’s natural ability to regenerate bone.
In preparation for a dental implant, Drs. Mitchell and Schneider may recommend dental bone grafting if your jaw bone does not have sufficient density to place a dental implant. In this case, the procedure is used to build up the bone and provide support for the implant. Bone grafting may also be used in combination with other treatments for severe periodontal infection.
Contact Us for More Information About Oral Surgery
Drs. Mitchell and Schneider and our entire professional team are sensitive to the special needs of our patients who require oral surgery. We will take every possible precaution to ensure that your treatment is as efficient, comfortable, and stress-free as possible. If you have been told you need oral surgery or if you would like more information, please contact our Dillon dental office. A friendly member of our team will be able to answer all of your questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Under normal circumstances, the root of your tooth stimulates growth of surrounding bone tissue in your jaw. If you lose a tooth, the bone surrounding the missing root has nothing to support it, and it will begin to erode. At the same time, your gum will begin to shrink as the bone deteriorates, resulting in a sunken appearance of the gums.
How Bone Grafting is Done
Bone grafting is a procedure that allows us to rebuild the portion of your jaw where the root is missing. This corrects the appearance of collapsed gums because the grafted bone helps stimulate your body’s natural ability to regenerate bone tissue.
The Need for Bone Grafting
If you’re having a dental bridge placed, and the gum around the missing tooth has started to collapse, bone grafting can effectively build up that area of the gum and eliminate the shrunken appearance.
In order to have a dental implant placed, there must be sufficient bone density in your jaw to hold the implant. We may recommend bone grafting to accommodate the implant. Bone grafting may also be recommended to correct problems associated with severe periodontal infection.
Drs. Mitchell and Schneider are highly-trained in oral surgery, and bone grafting in particular. Please contact our office for more information, and we will be happy to answer any questions you have about bone grafting.
Oral surgery may be necessary for any one of a number of reasons. If your dentist has told you that you need oral surgery, you are most likely experiencing some type of serious oral health problem that needs to be dealt with quickly.
Some reasons why oral surgery may be necessary are:
- Extraction of a severely decayed toot that cannot be treated effectively with a root canal
- Eliminate serious periodontal disease to prevent further infection or tooth loss
- Dental bone grafting to support your jaw when a tooth is missing or as needed for dental implant surgery
Our Experience with Oral Surgery
At Summit Dental Group, we certainly understand that the prospect of oral surgery and tooth extraction can be unpleasant and scary. Both Drs. Mitchell and Schneider have extensive experience in the area of oral surgery, and our team members are all highly trained to deal with this type of complex procedure with care and compassion.
We will be happy to make an appointment to assess your situation and decide if oral surgery is the best course of action in your case. Please contact our office, and a member of our team will be happy to make arrangements for a consultation with one of our doctors.
At our Summit Dental office, we believe that you should never put off dental treatment because of anxiety. First, you need to know that it is quite common to be nervous about dental visits. But it is simply not necessary to avoid important procedures, because we offer sedation options that will help keep you calm and relaxed during treatment.
Nitrous Oxide and the Benefits
For many patients, nitrous oxide (laughing gas) is sufficient to help them relax during treatment. All you have to do is sit back and breathe normally. A member of our team will be by your side to make sure that you remain comfortable throughout the procedure.
One of the benefits of nitrous oxide sedation it does not “knock you out.” You will be conscious, but your senses will be dulled so that you are not aware of what is happening around you. Once we stop administering the gas, you will not feel any after-effects, and you will be able to return to your normal routine as soon as treatment is finished.
Oral Sedation Dentistry in Dillon
Oral conscious sedation is another option that we can choose if you have a more intense level of anxiety. Drs. Mitchell and Schneider will prescribe a mild sedative that you take before you get to our office so that you arrive feeling calm and relaxed. We can combine oral sedation with nitrous oxide for a completely stress-free experience.
If you’re worried about upcoming treatment, please don’t hesitate to contact our Dillon dental office. We will be happy to discuss your concerns and decide which sedation option is best for you.
Meet Our Doctor:
Dr. Steven Mitchell DDS
Dr. Mitchell attended Florida State University and The University of Notre Dame for his undergraduate education and obtained his dental training at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and the University of Memphis. He also has extensive postgraduate education, specifically selecting courses focusing on oral surgery and dental implants. His most recent training in full-mouth rehabilitation allows him to provide smile makeovers to his patients for confident, healthy, beautiful smiles. His commitment to lifelong education means he is constantly evaluating emerging dental methods and technologies in order to provide ...