Oral Surgery

What follows are some examples of oral surgery procedures performed by Dr. Bowcutt:

Extractions — As much as we’d all prefer to save our natural teeth, there are those instances when extractions are necessary. Removing a tooth that has already erupted through the gum surface requires a simple extraction. But when a tooth has not yet erupted through the gum surface but still needs to be removed – as if often the case with impacted wisdom teeth, for example – an oral surgery procedure is necessary to remove the affected tooth.

Wisdom Teeth — Wisdom teeth are actually a third set of molars that erupt in the back of the mouth, directly behind a person’s adult molars. Not everyone gets wisdom teeth, but for those that do, it’s important that they actually have enough room inside the mouth to accommodate this third set of molars. People who don’t have enough room can experience a wide range of problems with their wisdom teeth – from impacted teeth to overcrowding of teeth and more. That’s why Dr. Bowcutt will sometimes recommend oral surgery to remove the wisdom teeth.

Bone Grafting/Implant Surgery — Bowcutt also offers his patients bone grafting oral surgery. This is especially helpful for those that have lost jawbone tissue due to gum disease, for example. Patients who have advanced gum disease that has been left untreated for long periods of time are not only likely to lose teeth as a result – they are also likely to lose jawbone tissue as well. Fortunately, dental implants are often an excellent way to replace missing teeth or to act as anchors for dentures. But Dr. Bowcutt can’t perform an implant procedure without adequate bone tissue. That’s where bone grafting plays an important role. This process allows Dr. Bowcutt to take bone tissue – from either an outside donor or from another area on the patient’s body – and graft it to the jawbone, thereby strengthening the jaw enough to accommodate implants.