Dental surgery involves any type of surgery dealing with the teeth and gums-it can include extraction (pulling teeth,) gum procedures, root canals and cosmetic surgery. In order to be qualified and trained to perform this type of surgery a dentist must go beyond the accredited dental school training and state licensing to get more specialized coursework and then be certified by a professional board in their particular specialty-like dental surgery or orthodontics. If you are considering this type of surgery, whether for cosmetic or health reasons, you should have a basic understanding of the procedures and what is involved.

Extraction" ?this type of surgery involves removing one or more teeth root and all. This surgery usually can be performed by a general practice dentist. It is usually done when a tooth is dead or rotten-but it can also be done when a person has "extra"? or supernumerary teeth, or to remove baby teeth so that permanent teeth can come in. Another common reason for this type of dental surgery is for wisdom teeth extraction. When the wisdom teeth are showing through the gums it is usually a simpler procedure than if they are still under the gums and pushing into other teeth (impacted.)

Gum Repair and Surgery" ?sometimes the gums become infected with a disease such gingivitis and must be cleaned and repaired with dental surgery. At times the gums even grow over the teeth and must be cut back.

Tooth Replacement" ?When a tooth is knocked out in an injury or accident, it is sometimes possible to replace the tooth. If you experience this type of accident, quickly put the tooth on ice or in a glass of cold milk and take it to your dentist or dental surgeon. If the root is still alive, you may be able to save your tooth with dental surgery. Any time you hit a tooth and it is loose, you should have it looked at by a dentist to make sure that there is no root damage.

Cosmetic surgery" ?this type of dental surgery can be performed to remove gaps in teeth or to change the gum line. Your dentist can tell you if surgery or orthodontics would be a better option.

Preparation for Bridges or Prosthetics" ?when you are preparing to get partial or full dentures or simply a bridge, you may need dental surgery to prepare your gums and mouth for the implants or dentures. You may need to have teeth removed or gums shaped to allow the dentures to fit properly.

Any time you need dental surgery you should try to find the dentist with the proper qualifications to perform the surgery. If it is an emergency, contact your general practice dentist first to see if they can do it or if they have recommendations. If you are going to have cosmetic surgery, you can look around to see what is available.