Dr. de Jongh and our team strive to provide comprehensive care to our patients. We believe in creating a community with our practice, and the wider the range of services you can receive in-office, the better. Dr. de Jongh provides extractions and bone grafts, as well as other specialized surgical procedures. When a patient is approaching a new surgical procedure, they are already nervous and uncertain. Why compound those feelings by throwing a new medical professional into the mix? Dr. de Jongh will walk you through the entire process, and be available for any recovery period requests or needs you may have.

Tooth Extractions

In some cases, a patient’s smile can be better restored after the removal of one or more teeth. Extractions are usually the final option in a complicated case; we always aim to be conservative with your teeth. If a tooth is severely damaged, we will attempt to repair it first. But there are cases of extreme decay in which repair is just impossible. If decay has spread through the tooth root, endodontic therapy will not eradicate the infection. If the tooth is severely diseased and has lost bone support, there is no way to stabilize the tooth. Extractions provide a clean slate, a fresh starting point from which Dr. de Jongh is able to build a new tooth.

Tooth extractions resolve dilemmas other than tooth and gum damage. We may recommend an extraction to treat

• Malpositioned teeth, which are either impacted (unable to erupt) or at an irritating, crooked angle that will interfere with bite
• Nonfunctional teeth such as wisdom teeth, that are prone to decay and play little role in chewing
• A crowded jaw to prepare for orthodontic treatment. Moving your teeth requires extra space in the mouth, and an extraction may be needed to create that space.

Wisdom Teeth Removal

Patients can have anywhere from 1-4 wisdom teeth – and those teeth are likely to be problematic. Wisdom teeth can disrupt your other teeth, as they frequently erupt only partially or at at angle.  If your wisdom teeth are problematic, they may eventually cause

• Damage to other teeth
• Cysts
• Tooth decay
• Gum disease
• Jaw problems

Once wisdom teeth have erupted, extraction is typically better to schedule sooner rather than later. This is because the procedure can be less complicated at a younger age, since the teeth and jaws have not completely finished developing. Younger patients also typically heal faster.

That said, if you didn’t get your teeth extracted in your teens, you may still benefit from having them extracted. If you are experiencing pain, pressure, or other discomfort at the back of your mouth, check in with Dr. de Jongh to see whether third molars could be the issue.

Bone Grafting

If you are interested in dental implants, the first step is to evaluate your osseous tissue in the treatment area. Patients who have been missing teeth for some time will experience bone loss. This can result in inadequate bone tissue in the implant placement area, which makes the implant less likely to succeed.

Dr. de Jongh will evaluate whether you could benefit from a bone graft procedure prior to dental implants. During this procedure, a specialized bone grafting material is added to the jaw bone. After several months, this material integrates with the natural bone tissue and provides a healthy foundation for the implant.

If you have questions about any surgical procedure, give us a call or schedule a complimentary consultation.