Why You Should Choose the Oral & Facial Surgery Institute for Your Surgery

Venture Creative on September 18, 2020

Your tooth has been hurting you for some time now, but the pain has become unbearable. You think to yourself, ‘maybe it is time to see a dentist now’ Or maybe your wisdom tooth decided to make an appearance, and you need it extracted immediately.

Here’s where the problem arises: where do you find a trustworthy and skilled oral and facial surgeon to help me out? That’s where we step in! With a team of proficient and skilled doctors, we’re here to make your days better and your smiles wider!

Why Choose Oral And Facial Surgery Institute?

Still not sure if we’re the right choice? Keep reading; we’ll change your mind!

  • Dedicated And Devoted

From the second you step inside our office, right till the point you’re saying farewell, we ensure your experience is nothing low of amazing. Every single step of your oral and facial surgery journey is well-thought-out by us.

Here at the Oral And Facial Surgery Institute, we make sure our equipment is safe and our workers efficient. In addition, we ensure you feel comfortable and receive top-notch care. We also ensure everything is clean and properly sterilized. When it comes to the safety and comfort of our clients, we make no compromises!

  • State-Of-The-Art Technology 

When it comes to providing first-rate oral and facial surgery experiences, the Oral And Facial Surgery Institute goes all out. Our institute consists of all kinds of high-grade and revolutionary technology to ensure everything goes smoothly.

From the newest x-rays machinery to super comfy patient chairs, our office is designed with the customer’s comfort in mind. That’s why we were voted ‘’Best of Southern Utah 2020’ as the Best Medical Facility!

  • Convenience And Affordability

While we’re talking about the customer’s comfort, let’s talk about the two things you definitely need to look into; convenience and affordability.

Finding a highly skilled dentist all within your budget is no easy task; that’s what sets us apart! For this reason, we call our patients and talk about their insurance. This helps in ensuring you receive the most for the least!

  • Comfort And Personalized Service

There’s a certain amount of anxiety that comes with going to the dentist’s office. And we understand that fully!

To ensure your experience is devoid of any uneasiness, our workers here at Oral And Facial Surgery Institute do everything we can. Making sure our clients know exactly what’s going to happen often helps in diminishing said fears; thus, clear communication is our top priority.

  • Skilled and Proficient Team

Oral and Facial Surgery Institute takes its values to heart. That’s why we make sure every single one of our workers is highly skilled and experienced.

Dr. Davis, the team surgeon, is not only an expert in what he does, but he values his clients greatly. Apart from him, our team does everything in ensuring you receive the best treatment in a friendly and comfortable environment. So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to book an appointment with an Oral and Facial Surgery Institute!

Wisdom Teeth Removal for Missionaries

Venture Creative on September 11, 2020

About 3% of missionaries experience shortened missions caused by various physical health problems. By going through wisdom teeth removal, a missionary can help ensure that their mission is not interrupted by orthodontic issues.

 

Visit a Dentist

Visiting a dentist is important in ensuring that your oral health is up to date before you start serving. They will let you know if there are any problems with your teeth and what you can do to fix them.

 

Wisdom teeth often cause problems in young adults’ mouths- they can erupt in the wrong spot, crowd other teeth, become impacted, or even erupt sideways. If any of these were to happen, it could be very detrimental to your physical health.

 

Because of this, the Mission Department says that you should go through a wisdom teeth removal procedure if your dentist believes they are going to cause you issues within the next two years.

 

Prospective missionaries that are not in a routine dental-care program will want to see a dentist as soon as possible. That way they can be sure that there is enough time for a check-up and treatment if needed.

 

In short, you want any needed orthodontic work to be completed before entering the MTC. If you are in St. George with wisdom teeth problems, our team at the Oral & Facial Surgery Institute consists of an experienced and caring staff who would love to help you.

 

What Problems Can Wisdom Teeth Cause?

Every patient can experience different issues with their wisdom teeth. However, as a missionary, you will want to be sure you get them looked at before you leave to serve. Wisdom teeth removal may require a long healing time, which could interrupt your mission.

 

They also cause many problems. When an impacted tooth is not removed, it may cause swelling and pain in your gums. Wisdom teeth that are only partially erupted are hard to clean since they are in the back of your mouth- making them a potential risk for gum disease, infection, or tooth decay.

 

We are specialists when it comes to any St. George wisdom tooth extraction, so do not be afraid to reach out to us. Many of our patients are future missionaries, just like you!

 

What Happens After Removal?

Once the teeth have been removed, you will start the healing process. It is different for every person and our specialists will let you know what to do to help the process along.

 

You will likely experience some swelling and pain in your mouth. An ice pack can help reduce swelling and numb your mouth. Be sure that you only eat soft food after the procedure and avoid using a straw.

 

It can take 3 days to a week to completely recover. After this, it would be alright to start your mission. Remember that you can still be susceptible to infection for a few months, so clean your mouth often, and be sure to watch for signs of an infection.

 

Conclusion

Contact us today if you are a prospective missionary looking to have their wisdom teeth removed. We would love to answer any questions that you have about the procedure. 435-628-1100

All-On-4 Implants vs. Dentures

Venture Creative on August 28, 2020

If you or a loved one are in need of false teeth, you might only know about dentures, as they have been around for decades. There are some newer options on the market that might be a better fit, like the All-On-4 implant.

You basically have three options to replace teeth – full dentures, individual implants for each tooth, or the All-On-4 implants that use only 4-6 implants on each half of your mouth, using a bridge to cover the rest of the teeth.

There are a time and a place for both implants and dentures, and we will break down the right time for each product.

What is an All-On-4 Implant?

These implants can replace all of your upper or lower teeth with only 4 or 6 implants. Then, bridges can be used to give you a full mouth. Lowering the number of implants is better for your mouth and more cost-effective than if you replace all of your teeth with individual implants.

Expenses

Dental care can be pricey, but fortunately, the All-On-4 implants are actually one of the cheaper options available. This is a more price efficient way than getting individual implants for each tooth or getting an entire set of dentures made up.

If you were to replace each tooth with individual implants you could more than double the price of getting the All-On-4 implants.

Comfort

While you will find the All-On-4 implants to be a little bit thicker than your natural teeth, the implants are thinner and much more comfortable than a full set of dentures. They arguably feel the most comfortable and the most natural of any tooth-replacement option on the market.

While the short-term might be uncomfortable, as it will require medical surgery to install the implants, All-On-4 implants are the most comfortable option that will have you feeling like you have real teeth. You need to decide if short term discomfort is worth long-term comfort.

Medical Needs

Consider that if you get individual implants, you will need to have surgery and bone grafts each time you get one implant. With the All-On-4, you need to undergo those procedures a lot less, saving you money and also the pain and suffering of additional medical procedures.

Dentures might be the easiest medically, as the fitting procedure for dentures is a lot less invasive than the surgery for implants. If concern over medical surgeries is a priority for you, then consider dentures instead of any type of implant.

Longevity

All-On-4 implants can be the last set of teeth you will ever need, and they are generally worth the investment. You can replace all of your teeth with the All-On-4 implants. This means it will be cheaper than replacing each tooth with individual implants, but you also will not have to remove your teeth as you do with dentures. These implants are designed to be permanent and have you with a good-looking smile for years to come.

Will My Oral Surgery Procedure Be Painful?

Venture Creative on August 21, 2020

 

We get a lot of questions from patients before a procedure, but, without a doubt, one of the most common questions is, simply put: “Will it hurt?” This is a natural question. Surgery is something most of us only go through a small number of times in our lives, and it’s simply instinct to be worried about and strive to avoid pain. Thankfully, we don’t have a hard time answering that question.

 

We strive to do our absolute utmost to ensure that every patient has a painless oral surgery experience.

 

Given the scope of our procedures, this may seem like a lofty goal, but we have a variety of techniques and a boatload of experience to know that we can provide this ideal procedure to our patients every time. Curious about how we accomplish these painless procedures? Read on to learn a bit about or various sedation techniques.

 

Minor Procedures

 

For the most minor oral surgeries, such as any gum treatment and tooth extraction, we will use a simple and common local anesthetic injected directly into the surgical area. Most commonly, this anesthetic is lidocaine, which is popular because it is incredibly effective and causes very few adverse reactions. In fact, it’s such an effective painkiller that it is used in almost every single one of our procedures, in conjunction with other techniques. It wears off quickly after surgery, and you can drive yourself home if we only use a local anesthetic for a procedure.

 

Moderate Procedures

 

For some of our lengthier procedures, including extractions, wisdom teeth removals as well as dental implant placements, we will add the use of nitrous oxide to the painkilling regimen for a surgery. Also known as laughing gas, nitrous oxide will be given to patients via a small mask. When combined with lidocaine, laughing gas can greatly increase your pain tolerance as well as relieve any anxiety. The laughing gas also wears off very shortly after the procedure.

 

Major Procedures

 

Either in our office or in a hospital setting, the most major procedures can require IV sedation or general anesthesia. For IV sedation, patients technically got in and out of consciousness during the surgery but frequently have no recollection of the treatment. We are also licensed to administer full general anesthesia. In these situations, you will need a friend or relative to drive you after the procedure.

 

With the full array of pain management tools are our disposal, we can ensure you have a painless procedure. Contact us to learn more!

The Best in Southern Utah

Venture Creative on August 14, 2020

More than anything else, if there is one reason, we have our practice, it’s because we are dedicated to serving our patients and providing them with the best possible outcomes. It’s why most medical professionals get into their field: to help people. That is enough reward. However, it is exceptionally gratifying when we receive recognition for our dedication to patient safety and satisfaction.

 

That’s why we were so humbled and honored to find out that we’d received not one, but multiple gold badges in 2020’s Best of Southern Utah awards. We earned awards as the Best Medical Facility, the Best Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon, and Best Doctor in Southern Utah, all in the most recent year. It’s not the first time we’ve earned accolades for our practice, but, to us, it confirms our commitment to excellence year in and year out. These awards may be humbling, but we aren’t too humble to say that we think you should choose us for your next oral surgery, and here are some of the reasons why we’ve been voted the best in Southern Utah.

 

Constant Communication 

We get that the world of oral surgery can be daunting and confusing. After all, we spend every day dealing with it, but most of our patients only have a couple of oral surgeries in their entire life. We aim to take away some of the more unknown aspects of undergoing oral surgery with communication. This isn’t just focused on the dry (at least, to some of our patients!) medical details, but we also want to ensure that patients’ emotions, financial concerns, and expectations are all clearly communicated. Proper communication is an underrated key to patient success and happiness.

 

Incredible Patient Results

It may sound hyperbolic to say that our treatments are life-changing, but, for many of our patients, that is absolutely true. Our top of the line dental implants gives people a boost in self-esteem and quality of life, including being able to eat a wider array of foods again, that is priceless to many patients. For those who suffer the devastating pain of TMJ, our procedures can alleviate huge levels of pain and provide long-lasting and incredible relief. These are just a couple of prime examples of how some of our treatments can literally alter a patient’s life for the positive.

 

Convenience is Key 

Access to your medical professional sometimes feels like it comes at a premium. We are always available to answer a patient’s questions, and we are even available for emergency care. Before your first visit, we check with your insurance provider to ensure you receive a clear and concise financial estimate with a lower wait time. We remove the guesswork and get you the information you need in a faster time.

These reasons are just a few to showcase why we earned so many gold badges in 2020’s Best of Southern Utah awards. Contact us to learn more!

What You Need to Know About Nighttime Teeth Grinding

Venture Creative on July 24, 2020

One of the more common oral habits is grinding your teeth, particularly during the night. While in many cases, this is associated with occasional bouts of stress or anxiety and is relatively harmless. When the condition (called bruxism) becomes a regular habit, it can cause damage. When left unchecked, regular teeth grinding can actually damage your teeth to the point of loss or causing TMJ. How do you know that you are grinding your teeth, and how can you address it to make sure it isn’t a long-term issue?

 

Identifying Teeth Grinding Behavior

 

For the vast majority of people, teeth grinding isn’t a conscious behavior; it’s not something that we are intentionally doing. Even more so, it’s a behavior that often occurs during sleep, meaning it’s not something we even know we are doing. In fact, normally, we notice the effects of it after the fact. Some of the symptoms of tooth grinding include a nearly constant headache, particularly a dull one, or a jaw that exhibits soreness. If you share a bed with someone, they will occasionally even report hearing the grinding during the night.

 

However, none of these things can conclusively diagnose bruxism. If you suspect that you might be grinding your teeth, make an appointment with your dentist and then we can examine your teeth and look for the telltale evidence of grinding and lead us to the next steps for treatment.

 

Immediate Treatment for Bruxism

 

The good news is that we can treat the behavior of teeth grinding very quickly, providing effective relief in short order. To do that, we can fit you with a mouth guard, specifically for nighttime. This can protect your teeth immediately and relieve the pain and discomfort that comes along with it. While this treatment is effective quickly, it can also be helpful for treating any underlying causes of bruxism.

 

Get to the Root Cause of Teeth Grinding

 

For most people, the behavior of teeth grinding is closely tied to stress or anxiety. Treating any stress can help halt the bruxism long term. In our office, we can teach you some basic stress relief techniques that can help alleviate the behavior. However, activities like exercise or seeking stress reduction therapy can also help.

 

During the treatment process, there are several behavioral adjustments you can make that will make bruxism better. Consumption of caffeine (particularly in the afternoon) or alcohol can both exacerbate teeth grinding and cutting back can alleviate the pain associated with it. In addition, ensuring that you only chew on food can help; any habitual chewing can make the problem worse. Lastly, relaxing your jaw before sleep can also be a big help. To do this, we recommend using a warm washcloth on your face to jumpstart the relaxation.

 

If you feel you might be suffering the ill effects of nighttime teeth grinding, we’d be happy to help you identify any issues and get you on the road to recovery. Contact us today!

What You Need to Know About Our Sedation Options

Venture Creative on July 17, 2020

Oral surgery can make potential patients anxious, and that means that there are a couple of questions that we get frequently. One is how much pain or discomfort that you can expect during a procedure, and the other we get a lot is about if you will be awake or under anesthesia for the duration. Both of these questions can be addressed by considering our various sedation options for our procedures. Based on customer comfort and the level of complexity to the procedure, there is a wide range of options, all of which we are proficient with at the Oral and Facial Surgery Institute.

 

Minor Procedures

 

Some of the simplest surgical treatments we perform include basic gum treatments and easy, simple tooth extractions. For these procedures, we generally use only a local anesthetic, which is lidocaine. Lidocaine is actually used in almost all of our sedation options as our local anesthetic, but it will be used on its own for these minor procedures.

 

Kicking Up a Notch with Laughing Gas

 

As the procedures get more complex, we add some more sedation options. For common procedures like wisdom teeth extraction or implant placements, we will add the use of nitrous oxide (known to most as laughing gas) to the lidocaine used as a local. This sedative is given to patients through a small mask that fits comfortably over your nose, quickly calming any anxiety and reducing pain sensations immensely. These effects wear off almost immediately after returning to the use of regular oxygen over the nitrous oxide.

 

IV Sedation or General Anesthesia in Office

 

As a complete surgery center, we are licensed and proficient in the use of IV sedation or general anesthesia in our own office. While we generally will only recommend the use of this sedative for complex procedures like a full-mouth reconstruction, the use of general anesthetic is safe enough to use at your choice for simple procedures like wisdom teeth removal if anxiety might be a problem.

 

When you undergo IV sedation in our office, a patient generally will go in and out of consciousness during the procedure. However, most patients don’t remember their procedure at all and aren’t responsive to the procedure. Even if you are technically awake, you are still basically under anesthesia and shouldn’t experience any anxiety from the procedure. One important thing to note is that the effects of anesthesia are long-lasting enough that you will need someone to drive you home after the procedure.

 

For Certain Instances, Sedation Can Occur in the Hospital

 

For some instances, including reconstructive or TMJ surgery or patients with underlying conditions, we may recommend doing the procedure in a hospital setting under the care of an anesthesiologist. However, these instances are exceptionally rare.

 

When you are considering oral surgery, you will have a wide range of sedation options available to you when you select the Oral and Facial Surgery Institute. Contact us today to learn more!

Top 3 Reasons for a Bone Graft

Venture Creative on July 9, 2020

Bone grafts are one of the more common procedures that oral surgeons do because it is a relatively minor procedure that can carry with it a lot of potential benefits. Despite our image of bone as a solid and immovable material, your bones and body are constantly changing throughout our lives, often responding to changes in our bodies. One of the most frequently adjusting bones is the jawbone, and bone grafts can help improve several conditions. The technique involves a minor gum incision to access the bone and then to insert graft material, normally consisting of your own bone. The healing will encourage growth and enable your body to fill in for lost bone and soft tissue material. The question is, what are some of the main reasons this procedure is performed and how does a bone graft address those issues.

 

A Bone Graft Can Save Your Teeth

 

One of the major effects of periodontal disease, like gingivitis, is that in severe cases, it can cause bone loss. This bone loss can actually cause your teeth to become loose and to put you in danger of actually losing those teeth. However, a bone graft can actually help stop the loss of bone and actually regenerate the supply of material supporting the jaw. This will actually provide a boost to bone support, and it can be a big help in allowing you to retain your teeth.

 

Providing Options After Tooth Extraction

 

Bone grafts can also be a common part of another regular oral surgery, tooth extraction. The removal of a tooth obviously changes the landscape of the jaw and can cause other teeth to shift or become loose. Now, during tooth extraction, it’s quite normal to actually put bone graft material in the tooth socket to stabilize the jawline. This also can allow you to choose a dental implant down the road if you choose.

 

Ridge Augmentation – Restoring Your Natural Contour

 

One major concern that a lot of patients have after suffering any jaw altering side effect is how their smile looks. The feeling that your smile looks different can make many self-conscious. Thankfully, one of the major benefits of bone graft procedures is that it can be used to perform ridge augmentation. This fills in the areas around any indents and provides patients with a healthy and natural-looking smile that they can be proud of.

 

Bone grafts are a safe and common procedure that can help bolster teeth and return you to a natural-looking smile and can aid several periodontal ailments. Contact us today, and learn more now!

Wisdom Teeth Surgery: The Do’s & Don’ts

Venture Creative on June 26, 2020

Most people will have to have their wisdom teeth removed to avoid oral complications they can create, usually facing removal surgery around the age of 16-25.

 

It may be a frightening experience to face dental surgery–perhaps the first surgical procedure you have had to face. Here at St. George, wisdom teeth removal is what we do so you can be assured, your health and safety, your healing time, and comfort are a top priority.

 

With some preparation, good dental care, and planning, you can make it as painless an experience as possible. It is crucial to follow your dental surgeon’s advice and recommendations as this is a surgical procedure, and the better you heal, the less physical pain you will have to endure.

 

Here are some do’s and don’ts that will help you to prepare for and heal from your wisdom teeth removal:

 

Do

  • Use proper brushing and flossing techniques to keep your existing teeth healthy.–When Should You Have Your Wisdom Teeth Removed?
  • Have regular dental care so that removal of your wisdom teeth, if needed, can be planned for in advance–before there are problems.
  • Having your wisdom teeth removed at an earlier age prevents full development of the roots of the wisdom teeth. This will allow for easier removal and quicker healing time following your surgery.
  • Secure adequate financing or payment structure to cover the costs of your surgery.
  • Discuss pain management with your dental surgeon.
  • Follow all post-surgical care directives from your dental surgeon.
  • Use an ice pack to curb swelling.
  • Use pain medications AS DIRECTED.
  • Use moist heat on your face for a sore jaw at least 36 hours after your surgery.– WebMD
  • Eat soft foods or liquid meals.
  • Drink plenty of fluids.
  • Be gentle with chewing, swishing, or rinsing your mouth.
  • Start brushing your teeth the second day. Don’t brush any blood clots.–WebMD
  • Call your doctor if you have a fever, or if your pain or swelling doesn’t improve.–WebMD
  • Gently open and close your mouth to exercise your jaw and increase mobility.
  • Get plenty of rest while your body is healing.

 

Don’t

  • Smoke following your surgery. It can cause healing issues at the wound sites and cause you greater pain.
  • Overuse pain medications or take them in a manner that conflicts with your dental surgeon’s recommendations.
  • Don’t drink through a straw following your surgery. This may loosen the blood clots and cause extra bleeding and longer healing time.
  • Eat hard, crunchy, or sticky foods that may irritate or injure your healing surgical sites.
  • Exercise for the few days after your surgery so that you will not loosen the blood clots via the extra blood flow.
  • Eat hot foods or drink–this may loosen the blood clotting.

 

When the time comes to have your wisdom teeth removed, call us at the Oral and Facial Surgery Institute Oral Surgeon St. George Utah to make an appointment for an evaluation. We look forward to serving your oral surgical needs.

Exploring the Benefits of Teeth-In-A-Day

Venture Creative on June 19, 2020

Are you happy with your current smile? Have you tried dentures, or are you looking for a better alternative to standard dentures? Due to genetics, disease, or trauma to the teeth, you may need a full cosmetic overhaul of your smile–but dentures? Even the thought of dentures can be overwhelming and disappointing. But there are other options available to you, even if you have been turned away for dental implants.

 

Dentures can be uncomfortable, ill-fitting, and bothersome, but our state-of-the-art oral surgical procedure, All-on-4 treatment, replaces those dentures with 4 perfectly fitted dental implants. This full dental restoration will restore your smile and renew your quality of life by taking the worry and discomfort out of chewing, talking, and smiling.

 

All-in-4 is a better alternative to dentures

 

All-on-4 has a myriad of welcome benefits over other dental restoration services. With our dental restoration services and our other dental services, we are here to answer any questions or concerns you may have about a procedure.

 

No more adhesive! No more taking out your dentures to clean or soak them! No more embarrassing slippage of your dentures while you are talking.

 

You won’t have to worry anymore about food that slips beneath your dentures, causing discomfort and unpleasant odor.

 

Sleeping in dentures can cause health problems.

 

All-in-4 can replace yesterday’s dentures with the confident smiles of tomorrow.

 

Here are some of the great benefits you can expect with this one-day dental transformation:

  • All-in-4 is done in one day. Walk out with the winning smile you have always wanted.
  • Offering full-arch restoration and only 4 dental implants are used, which means less healing time for you.
  • With All-in-4 cosmetic dentistry services, you will have a lower need for bone graft surgery.
  • All-in-4 feels like your natural teeth, making it far more comfortable than dentures.
  • All-in-4 looks like your natural teeth. Cosmetically speaking, they are far superior to the often oddly-colored dentures. You can find some before and after pictures and the beautiful smiles of our satisfied clients here.
  • They won’t wear out like dentures can after 5-10 years. One procedure and you are on your way with a worry-free smile.
  • No-worry perfect fit.
  • Better for younger people who do not want the stigma of dentures, but still need cosmetic repair.
  • Advanced, state-of-the-art dental care and technology.
  • No more dentures!

 

All-in-4 Helps people who have been turned away

All-in-4 is perfect for those who have been turned away for other dental implant surgeries. Sometimes bone loss can make dental implant procedures more difficult for those patients. All-in-4 can be the answer for those patients. Not only is it easier to do with less bone, but it can also ensure greater stability for existing bone.

 

This procedure can also remove the worry over the further deterioration of your gum line due to the pressure of dentures and restore your smile. This will work even if you have already suffered bone loss or been turned away.

 

Consider All-in-4 for your winning smile–today!  Give us a call or set up an appointment online. We look forward to serving you.

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