Oral & Facial Surgery Center of Virginia Blog

If you’re a young adult and you’ve noticed that the back of your mouth or jaw has been feeling particularly sore lately, you might be growing wisdom teeth. These third molars typically arrive years after all your other adult teeth have grown in, usually between the ages of 17 to 25. Unfortunately, they tend to cause issues like aches, overcrowding, infections, or become impacted when they erupt, so they’re often extracted before they can become problematic.

It’s normal to have questions about these chompers, like how many you have and why they’re there. Continue reading to learn more about it!

Many people experience anxiety around having a troublesome wisdom tooth extracted, even when they know it’s necessary to preserve their oral health. These late-to-arrive molars are notorious for causing various issues, so they’re removed more often than not. However, you might worry that the procedure will hurt, or have questions about what recovery is like.

If you’re unsure what healing looks like following your wisdom tooth extraction, continue reading to learn more about what to expect and what a typical timeline might look like!

Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, are the last set of teeth to develop, usually appearing between the ages of 17 and 25. While some people’s wisdom teeth grow in without issue, others find that theirs come in at odd angles—including sideways, pushing toward neighboring teeth. This is known as horizontal impaction, and it’s a common dental concern that often requires removal. Understanding why this happens can help you better prepare for treatment and avoid complications.

Gaps in your teeth can make your everyday living a little harder, from affecting your smile to having trouble speaking or eating. A reliable way to fill these spaces is with the help of dental implants. They are placed into your jawbone and can give you higher self-confidence.

This process involves oral surgery, and finding the right provider for you is crucial to a successful treatment. If you want to figure out how you can find the right person for the job, keep reading to learn three things that can help you decide.

Did you know that approximately 10% to 30% of people have some level of anxiety or fear related to the dental office? This causes those with dental issues to delay getting treatment, worsening the problems, sometimes leading to additional discomfort. The good news is that there are various sedation options to help even the most anxious patients get the dental treatment they need. General anesthesia is the most powerful form of sedation available, but who is a good candidate? Read on to learn more about general anesthesia and when it is used.

If you are missing an entire arch of teeth, dentures are not the only option for rebuilding your smile. Using dental implants, you can replace your lost pearly whites with All-On-4 treatment instead. With this modern procedure, you’ll be able to enjoy a full bite again without worrying much about the issues that can come from regular dentures. Keep reading to learn the pros and cons of this treatment so that you know what to expect before starting the procedure.

Are you nervous or fearful of the dentist, or of dental treatment? Do you have a sensitive gag reflex that makes even routine oral health care uncomfortable? You may be an excellent candidate for sedation dentistry. If you’ve been considering trying sedation at your next dental appointment, here are the answers to four important questions to help you make an informed decision.

You’re excited about getting dental implants – you’ve scoured the web for hours doing research and have rearranged your schedule and finances for this investment in making your smile look gorgeous and improving your overall oral health. However, before going in for the procedure, you’ll need to have a discussion with your dentist about your candidacy. Read on to learn what you can expect from this first consultation.

Botox treatment has allowed countless patients to address unsightly wrinkles in their skin as well as a variety of health problems caused by uncontrolled muscle movements like TMJ disorders, but there are many popular misconceptions about how the process works. Fortunately, a little education can go a long way towards helping a patient make an informed decision. Here’s a brief guide to a few common falsehoods about Botox as well as the facts about this remarkable treatment.

It’s normal to be anxious about having any kind of oral surgery performed. The question is, how can you keep such feelings under control so that you can get the care you need? One option is to have IV sedation administered during your treatment, but is this the best choice in your particular case? Here’s a brief look at how IV sedation works and what can make someone a good candidate for it.