When your dental health needs some attention and surgery seems like the best option to make your smile better and to relieve the discomfort and pain, finding an oral surgeon near you is the next step to take. There are many qualified oral surgeons throughout the country, but finding one who can handle your case and doesn’t require you to drive hours to get to their office is important. Luckily, patients can find many great oral surgeons near them with a quick online search and nationwide dental offices can make the search even easier!
What Does an Oral Surgeon Do?
First, we need to take a look at what an oral surgeon does. An oral surgeon is a dental specialist who can perform many surgical procedures on the face, jaws, teeth, and mouth. While your family dentist can easily perform some minor oral surgeries, they are not considered oral surgeons and do not possess the same amount of training.
There are several different procedures that an oral surgeon near you can perform for their patients. Most of these procedures are more specialized and the oral surgeon will need extra schooling and training to complete them. These include:
- A tooth extraction: This procedure is done most commonly when the wisdom tooth begins to grow the wrong way. If there is an infection or severe injury, the oral surgeon can remove other teeth. Often, you will be able to find an endodontist near you that will perform tooth extractions.
- Dental implants: These implants are embedded into the jawbone and designed to match the teeth of the individual. They look and feel more natural than dentures or tooth replacement. If you want to find a dentist that will do dental implants near you, please contact one of our dental clinic locations.
- Corrective jaw surgery: This surgery can help correct a bite that is misaligned and which your dentist is not able to correct with orthodontics. It may be used to fix birth defects. More often than not, you can locate a periodontist near you who will perform jaw surgery.
- Facial trauma: Many oral surgeons near you can work to reconnect severed nerves, fix facial bones and fractured jaws, and repair some skin lacerations.
- Help with TMJ: TMJ is a disorder that will cause pain and discomfort for all affected. Your oral surgeon can perform joint surgery to make this painless.
The reason that an oral surgeon can do all of this while a dentist can’t is that the oral surgeon has spent extra time in school and in training to complete these tasks with ease while a dentist has not. This specialization provides the added care and attention you need during oral surgery.
What is the Difference Between an Oral Surgeon and a Dentist?
At first glance, a dentist and an oral surgeon may appear to have the same job description. They both work with your teeth, mouth, and jaws to provide you the best oral health. While a dentist will help to keep your teeth healthy and strong with routine dental exams and some minor procedures, including a bridge or crown, oral surgeons are specialists who can handle more complex dental work.
For example, while you may go to the dentist to clean your teeth and fill cavities, you would visit an oral surgeon for surgery, facial pain, joint disorders of the jaw, and dental implants.
Can I Go Straight to an Oral Surgeon?
In the past, it was common for your family doctor or dentist to refer you to an oral surgeon in your area before you could visit their offices. However, it is much easier now for patients to find oral surgeons near them online without the referral. Always check with the oral surgeon’s office on whether they will accept you without a referral or not. Most of the surgeons will be happy to have you as a patient, though some of the more popular ones in your area may prefer a referral to keep their schedules from getting overbooked.
How Much Does It Cost to Go to an Oral Surgeon?
The cost of an oral surgeon will depend on what type of surgery needs to be done. If your surgery includes a complex extraction, then you may pay between $300 and $400 per tooth that the work is done on. The cost goes up if you need a sedative or general anesthesia for the procedure. Some estimated costs to consider when visiting an oral surgeon include:
- Simple tooth removal: Up to $450
- Surgical tooth removal: Up to $650 per tooth
- Dental implants: Up to $3000
- Impacted wisdom teeth removal: Up to $600 per tooth.
Other dental procedures will cost a different amount depending on the work that needs to be done. If you have dental insurance, some or all of the costs may be covered.
How Do I Find an Oral Surgeon Near Me?
Finding an oral surgeon near you is important to helping you care for your teeth and keep them in good working order. Our nationwide dental office finder service can provide you with access to some of the best oral surgeons in your area, making it easy to find someone who can schedule an appointment with you right away. No matter what type of surgery you need to be done, or the type of insurance you use, we will do our best to help connect you with the right oral surgeon to get the work done.
Is Oral Surgery Covered by Insurance?
Regular medical insurance usually does not cover oral surgery. However, dental insurance, depending on the type you use, will help cover oral surgery. This can help you get the surgery you need without having to pay all of the costs on your own.
Keep in mind that dental insurance will cover oral surgery only if you have the policy in place for several months before the surgery is necessary. You cannot purchase the insurance right before you go into surgery because the company will not cover its cost. If you have regular dental insurance and use it for regular checkups and other dental needs, and the policy has been in place for some time, then your insurance will pay for oral surgery.
When you are ready to work with an oral surgeon to improve the health and look of your mouth, make sure to contact us today. Our nationwide emergency dental clinic finder service will enable you to find an oral surgeon near you that will meet all of your needs. Contact us today to get started.