Advanced oral surgery happens every day at three Archer Dental clinics in downtown Toronto.
Listed below are some not-so-common diagnosis and dental procedures that are all in some way related to the subject of dental surgery. In our effort to be as helpful as possible, we have assembled this page of key terms for research purposes. These are procedures which you might hear or be told you need by dentists here at Archer Dental, or other professionals, along with descriptions of what actually happens, and some of the reasons why we perform these operations.
- Endodontic Surgery
- Prosthodontics – Replace lost teeth to create permanent cuspal coverage
- Orthodontic Treatments
- Periodontics
- Maxillofacial Surgery
- Emergency Dental Surgery Service
- Other Procedures
Endodontic Surgery
‘Save the tooth!’ Endodontic surgery is an advanced dental procedure involving the pulp or root of the tooth that is usually done to save a tooth. This may accomplish what a root canal alone cannot achieve. The procedure may be used to locate small fractures or infection hiding in canals previously undetected on X-rays during the initial treatment. Endodontic surgery can also be used to remove calcium deposits in root canals, or treat damaged root surfaces, or treat the surrounding bone of the tooth. At Archer Dental, our dentists and endodontists use advanced technologies like digital imaging and operating microscopes which allow all of these procedures to be performed more quickly, more comfortably and with less injury and quicker healing times. Endodontic surgery has three sub categories that are all related to Root Canal Treatment.
- Pulpotomy is the opening of the pulp chamber of the tooth to allow an infection to drain, which is usually done before root canal surgery can proceed. Sometimes this procedure can be done on its own. This may sound invasive, but Archer Dental team goes above and beyond to make you comfortable offering local anesthesia before opening the gum tissue near the tooth.
- Pulpectomy is the removal of the pulp from the pulp chamber to temporarily relieve pain. This procedure is also done as a precursor to root canal surgery.
- Apicoectomy is a root-end resection when discussed in relation to endodontic surgery. When a root canal alone is not enough to relieve pain, the end of the root, called the apex, is removed by entering through the gingiva and surgically extracting the diseased material. The end of the root canal is sealed with a small filling. Dissolvable stitches are used to close the gum tissue. The bone will heal around the end of the root over the next few months.
Prosthodontics – Replace lost teeth to create permanent cuspal coverage
One of nine dental specialties recognized by the Canadian Dental Association (CDA), Prosthodontics is the branch of dentistry which involves the restoration of natural teeth and the placement of natural-looking substitute or prosthetic teeth. Archer Dental’s own prosthodontist works with patients who need dental implants, crowns (caps) and veneers. More information about Archer Dental’s Cosmetic Dentistry services, and there’s more about Archer Dental Restorative Procedures on that service page. Prosthodontics has many subcategories, but we have listed the most common options:
- Implants — Are you missing a tooth? One of the most popular choices for replacing missing teeth is dental implants. In this procedure, a titanium cylinder is surgically placed in the bone (mandible or maxilla) and allowed to heal, and then four months later (sometimes as long as six months) an artificial tooth is connected to the implant by cement or retained by a screw. A superior alternative to bridges, partials or complete dentures, dental implants can be flossed like real teeth. They look and feel just like real teeth but without the sensitivity!
- Crowns (caps) — Big holes in teeth need strong caps, or crowns and not just regular fillings. In dentistry, when your tooth is damaged but not lost, a dental crown can be used to restore its shape, appearance and function. Crowns are made in a dental lab and can be cast or cut (and increasingly they are 3d printed) from a variety of bio-compatible materials, including CMC Ceramic Metal Composite or Porcelain Metal Composite gold or a tin/aluminum mixture. You can read more about getting crowns at Archer Dental and learn how modern science is affecting dentistry and positively impacting Canadians.
- Veneers – Veneers are artificial coverings similar to crowns except they only cover the forward (labial or buccal) surface of the tooth. Usually done for aesthetic purposes, bonding and veneers can dramatically improve the look of your teeth by changing their colour, shape, angle or spacing. Archer Dental cosmetic dentistry deploys veneers to improve the appearance of teeth that are broken, chipped or cracked, and teeth that have awkward spaces between them, or that are discoloured.
- Bridge – a dental bridge is a fixed prosthesis in which two or more crowns are connected together, which replace a missing tooth or teeth through a bridge. Typically used after an extraction, you can read more about bridges at Archer Dental on our service page.
- Dentures (false teeth) —Archer Dental can create a partial or complete set of dentition which can either attach to neighboring teeth by use of metal or plastic grasps or to the gingival or palatal surface by use of adhesive. Read more about dentures at Archer Dental
- Implant-supported prosthesis — At the forefront of the study of dental prosthetics is the art of making implant-supported hybrid prosthesis, which is an acrylic resin complete fixed dental prosthesis and supported by implants might be a solution in extreme cases that the need of the restoration for esthetics, function, lip support, and speecha combination of dentures and implants; bases are placed into the bone, allowed to heal, and metal appliances are fixed to the gingival surface, following which dentures are placed atop and fixed into place.
Orthodontic Treatments
Orthodontists at Archer Dental offer popular services and corrective products at all three locations in Toronto. Orthodontics is a specialty of dentistry that deals with the diagnosis, prevention and correction of misaligned teeth and jaws. Some of this specialization could be considered Dental Surgery, but most of the discipline involves using non surgical procedures like braces and custom-fit night guards. Archer Dental specializes in Invisalign treatments.
- Itero scanner – Much more detailed than the traditional two-dimensional images they have replaced, Itero scans of patients’ mouths capture crisp images that are combined to create three-dimensional dental images on flat screen monitors in a matter of minutes. Intraoral scanners are present at all three Archer Dental locations. Their user-friendly nature helps dental professionals get the best results and the scans they produce are also much more informative for patients.
- Orthognathic surgery – in this procedure an oral and maxillofacial surgeon (OMS) in a hospital setting performs surgery to straighten and realign jaws using surgical plates or templates, screws and wires.
Periodontics
Periodontics is the branch of dentistry which relates to the treatment of periodontic disease or Periodontitis which, you may be happy to know, can often be treated successfully with proper medical attention. The first nonsurgical step usually involves a special cleaning, called “scaling and root planing,” to remove plaque and tartar deposits on the tooth and root surfaces. This procedure helps gum tissue heal, and periodontal pockets to shrink. There’s more insights on Archer Dental Treatment of Periodontal Disease page describing how we tackle gingivitis and instill proper hygiene to reduce future inflammations.
Maxillofacial surgery
Archer Dental Maxillofacial surgery and adjunctive treatments of disorders, diseases, and defects in the head, neck, face, jaws and the hard and soft tissues of the oral (mouth) and maxillofacial (jaws and face) region of the human body.
Sinus augmentation is also know as a sinus lift. Bone is usually added to the upper jaw, or maxilla, in the areas of premolar and molar teeth. The goal of this surgery is to graft enough bone material on the upper jaw to support the base of a dental implant
After surgery, the area will heal in about three months. Then your dentist will prepare the tooth again. He or she will make a new temporary crown to fit the lengthened tooth. Then he or she will make the final crown.
Preparing for oral surgery at Archer Dental. If you’re having dental surgery at some point today, then you should not eat or drink anything, including water, for few hours before the operation. If the surgery requires a local anesthetic, you can have a light meal one to two hours in advance, but be sure to brush and floss thoroughly before arriving. We know this is a scary process but we want to make you as comfortable as possible. Whether you have a small question or a list of questions we will make sure you are at ease and know that you are in trusting, steady hands.
Emergency Dental Surgery Service
Emergency Dentist Services at Archer Dental includes fixing broken teeth, loss of dental crowns, loss of dental fillings, toothaches, dislodging teeth, taking out something between your teeth and if a sport injury has occurred to your teeth or gums. When there is a dental emergency that involves your teeth or gingiva, even if minor, such events can trigger other issues that may need to be addressed immediately as they could worsen with time. It’s important to get a professional evaluation to know what remedies are available that can minimize any damage to the teeth, gums and supporting bone structures. Read more information about Dental Emergencies at Archer Dental on our service page.
Whether you’re looking to modify your dentition, improve your appearance for cosmetic reasons or for health reasons our surgeons will make sure you are properly informed from the beginning to end. They will put you at ease, and they will educate you about your treatment options. Common procedures include:
- implant dentures and other prostheses
- removal of wisdom teeth
- removal of impacted teeth
- fixing malocclusions (improper bites) for dental restorations.
Other procedures:
Crown Lengthening is done to expose an increased amount of the tooth structure for the purpose of restoring the tooth prosthetically.
Sinus augmentation, also know as a sinus lift. Bone is usually added to the upper jaw, or maxilla, in the areas of premolar and molar teeth. The goal of this surgery is to graft enough bone material on the upper jaw which in turn supports the base of a dental implant.
We also use special instruments such as a dental laser for specific use in oral surgery and other dentistry procedures. Depending on the laser it will use different wavelengths for different applications. Using a laser has many benefits; it can reduce the need for anesthetics because following the soft tissue procedures there will be minor bleeding.
When there is an issue we will refer you to our in-house general surgeon, they will then have a consultation with you to make sure you know each step involved in the process. From here we will make sure the surgery is scheduled and performed. We know this is a scary process but we want to make you as comfortable as possible. Whether you have a small question or a list of questions we will make sure you are at ease and know that you are in trusting, steady hands.