Things You Should Know Before Having Dental Surgery
When contemplating a major medical decision of any kind, most people do as much research as they can. It's important to get all the facts to help put your mind at ease when going through a major medical procedure. But what about a major dental procedure? Do you give it the same thought and importance as any other medical decision? You should.
The fact is, while you may never have to have open heart surgery or your appendix removed, chances are at some point in your life you will have to have dental surgery. Root canals, crowns, and removal of wisdom teeth, are all things most of us will have to face, and dental surgery should be taken just as seriously as any other medical surgery. Here are some things you should think about before dental surgery becomes a necessity.
Dental Surgery Has Its Risks
Just like any other surgery, dental surgery carries with it risks that you need to talk about with your dentist. For instance, if you have had an allergic reaction to anesthetic in the past, this is something your dentist or oral surgeon needs to know about. Just because dental surgery does not always take place in a hospital setting does not mean the possible side effects are not as serious. It's important to be up front with your dentist about your entire medical history before having dental surgery to avoid complications.
It's also important to talk to your dentist or oral surgeon about aftereffects of your dental surgery. How long will it take for the anesthetic to wear off? What side effects of the anesthetic are normal? What is a normal amount of swelling? Is there a possibility of nerve damage? What other symptoms are to be expected, and which ones should prompt you to call him or her right away? Knowing the answers to these questions ahead of time will go a long way in helping you deal with the healing process after your surgery.
Dental Surgery Has Progressed Over The Centuries
Evidence has surfaced that dental surgery was performed over 9,000 years ago, based on studies by anthropological studies, indication that teeth had been drilled using flint. Many of today's patients may argue that procedures have not changed much over the years, but today dental surgery involves the science of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases that affect the oral cavity. Dentists also are required to attend at least four years of post-graduate studies, longer if they plan to specialize in a specific environment.
The only element of a dental career that does not require additional study is in the field of cosmetics, as most procedures performed for cosmetic purposes are redundant of those for other dental surgery needs. While a typical tooth extraction may not require the expertise of a surgeon, all dental work performed today by a licensed dentist falls under the heading of dental surgery.
The Baltimore College of Dental Surgery was the first school in the United States to focus on oral and maxillofacial operations in 1840. Harvard opened its dental department in 1867, which became known as the Harvard School Of Dental Medicine in 1940. Since then numerous schools have opened departments of dentistry and many specialized procedures have become normal in the field.
Nine Specialties Fall Under Dental Umbrella
There are nine separate specialized in addition to general dental surgery requiring additional training or training under a residency program. Once training is completed the doctor receives a certificate of specialized training. The fields include dental pubic health, which is the study of epidemiology as well as endodontics, covering root canal procedures and disease of dental pulp.
Additional specialties include maxillofacial pathology and radiology, surgery and orthopaedics. Pedodontics specializes in dentistry for children and periodontics offers a specialty in the use of dental surgery to install implants.
Prosthodontics includes dentures and bridges as well as the restoration of implants and additional training in this specialty may include replacement of missing facial structures due to accident or injury, or those caused by birth defects.
