Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

While general dentistry focuses on diagnosing and treating common oral health concerns affecting the teeth and gums, oral surgery treats complex medical conditions that impact the mouth, teeth, and surrounding bone structures.

At Darren Gonzalez DDS, we perform dental surgery to address a wide range of diseases and periodontal defects and non-impacted wisdom teeth, tooth loss due to injury or decay, facial injuries and periodontal defects. In some cases, even the jaw bone must be modified to accommodate the placement of dental implants, dentures, etc.

Depending on the type of procedure, the patient will either be placed under oral conscious sedation or a local anesthetic. Following the process, patients can expect to experience some swelling and discomfort in the surgical area. To address these, pain medications and cold compresses are typically prescribed to reduce pain and inflammation after the procedure.

Bone Grafting

For dental implants to be placed, the patient must have enough bone in their jaw to support the implant post. If this is not the case, a procedure known as bone grafting may be necessary. This procedure replaces the missing bone with healthy bone tissue from another part of the body or elsewhere. This ensures the implant will have a strong foundation and helps prevent the bone loss that usually occurs after tooth loss. The dental implant is placed simultaneously or after the grafting procedure is completed.

Dental Implant

This involves placing a dental implant to replace a single missing tooth or several missing teeth. Dental implants are surgically placed below the gums. Over the next four to six months, the implants will fuse to the jawbone in osseointegration. After the dental implants have healed, patients return to our dental office so we can attach replacement teeth to these titanium rods.

Impacted Canine Extraction

This standard procedure involves removing one or more impacted canines from the gum line. An impacted tooth fails to erupt properly and remains trapped in the gum tissue or jawbone.

Ridge Modification

This procedure is needed when the gum line is uneven and creates pockets between the teeth and gums. By smoothing out these pockets, we can help to prevent infections and tooth decay.

Sinus Augmentation

When the upper molars do not have enough room for implants, this surgical procedure enables your oral surgeon to create more bone for these implants to be placed.

Wisdom Teeth Removal

Many patients require wisdom teeth extraction to prevent crowding, misalignment, infection, or impaction. Dr. Gonzalez may recommend removing your wisdom teeth before symptoms arise to prevent future complications like cysts, tumors, tooth damage, and jawbone damage.

Before extracting wisdom teeth, Dr. Gonzalez will numb the area to ensure patient is comfortable. To minimize the risk of nerve damage and/or trauma to adjacent teeth, Dr. Gonzalez will plan surgery with Cone Bean CT Scans.

When your wisdom teeth are removed, you may experience bleeding, pain, and swelling. Over-the-counter pain medication can relieve these symptoms. We recommend a soft-food diet when recovering from the procedure. You may experience bruising and minor discomfort for a few days following the process.

For the best dental services personalized to your needs, visit Darren Gonzalez DDS at 1515 Montgomery Drive Ste B, Santa Rosa, CA 95405, or call (707) 542-1532.

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery