Surgeries
Pediatric dental surgeries may be necessary for a variety of reasons, three of which we outline below.
Common Oral Surgeries for Children
Both you and your child may feel anxious about an upcoming dental surgery. Rest assured, we provide your child with anesthesia and ensure their comfort before beginning any procedure. You can also request nitrous oxide or another form of sedation if you think your child will be too anxious to cooperate during surgery.
Facial trauma
The force of trauma to the mouth, whether it happens due to a car accident while playing sports, or for another reason, can cause teeth to fall out, loosen, or change position upon impact. Please contact Smiling Faces Pediatric Dentistry immediately if your child experiences trauma to the mouth, even if you cannot see any damage. We will inspect your child’s teeth and gums, take several X-rays, and determine the appropriate treatment method.
If your child loses baby teeth, we will perform a minor surgical procedure to place a space maintainer. The space maintainer prevents other teeth from shifting towards the open spot needed for the permanent teeth. When children lose permanent teeth, we will discuss options such as implant surgery to replace them.
Root canal
Your child may need a root canal if a baby tooth has sustained severe trauma or decay. Our pediatric dentist removes the damaged pulp from inside the tooth to relieve discomfort and save the tooth.
Tooth extraction
Typical reasons for tooth extraction in children include:
- Extracting teeth before orthodontic treatment begins to give the remaining teeth more space to move
- Removing part of a tooth damaged by facial trauma
- Removing unerupted wisdom teeth
Be sure to supervise your child closely for several hours or at least until the anesthesia wears off when returning home.
These are just three types of pediatric dental surgeries in Oklahoma City, OK. Please contact us with additional questions or to schedule an appointment.
