Oral Surgery

Arrowhead Dental Associates provides oral surgery in Charlestown, RI. Call us at 401-364-6300 to schedule your appointment today.

Although all of our doctors are qualified to perform extractions, we have a Board Certified Oral Surgeon on Staff for more complex surgical procedures.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are used to replace tooth roots. Implants provide a strong foundation for fixed or removable replacement teeth. Dental implants are small anchors made of biocompatible metal, called titanium, placed in the jawbone. The anchors begin to fuse with the bone over a few months. After the fusing process, known as osseointegration, abutment posts are inserted into the anchors to allow for the attachment of the replacement teeth. To fabricate the replacement teeth, an impression is taken and a model of the bite is created.

Wisdom Tooth Removal

A wisdom tooth that is deemed problematic is normally extracted to avoid any oral complications. To have a wisdom tooth removed, a small incision is made to open up the gum tissue over the tooth and remove any bone that is covering the tooth. Once the tooth is in view, it is grasped with a dental instrument, known as a forcep, and gently rocked back and forth to loosen it from the jaw bone and surrounding ligaments. Sometimes the tooth may need to be cut into smaller pieces to make it easier for removal.

Impacted Tooth & Tooth Exposure

An impacted tooth is a tooth that fails to fully pass through the gums. Impacted wisdom and cuspid (or canine) teeth are fairly common. To correct impacted teeth, there are a few treatment options. For impacted wisdom teeth, the most common procedure is extraction. For impacted canine teeth, several treatment modalities are available. Orthodontics (braces) can be used to open space for proper eruption. Primary (baby) teeth can either be extracted or surgically exposed to allow for the placement of an orthodontic bracket to help align the teeth

Bone Grafting

Bone grafting is the replacement or enhancement of bone around teeth. When a tooth is lost, the surrounding bone collapses. Bone grafting is performed to reverse bone loss or enhance existing bone. The grafting material can be taken from parts of the body or from synthetic material. Bone grafting allows for proper support of dental implants or prostheses.

Orthognathic Surgery

Orthognathic surgery is done to correct misalignments or other abnormalities in the upper and/or lower jaw. Orthognathic surgery can involve procedures such as an osteotomy (bone cutting), bone grafts, or distraction osteogenesis (stretching of the bone) and orthodontic (braces) care. Orthognathic correction is conducted in stages, and the course of treatment can last from a few months to a year or more.

TMJ Disorders

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is similar to a sliding hinge that connects your jawbone to your skull. TMJ disorders can cause pain in the jaw joint and in the muscles that control jaw movement.

To treat TMJ disorders, first the cause has to be identified. Improper alignment due to genetics or injury, arthritis affecting the cartilage in the joint, malocclusion, and trauma can all cause TMJ disorders.

Labial or Lingual Frenectomies

A frenectomy is a simple surgical procedure performed to release the connection of the “frenum,” a connective muscle between two tissues. There are two types of oral frenectomies that are frequently performed on both adults and children for a variety of reasons.

A Labial Frenectomy is performed on the tissue that connects the lip to the gums. This may be performed on children or adults to aid with orthodontic treatment or even help with the proper fitting for a denture or appliance.

A Lingual Frenectomy may also be referred to as the release of tongue-ties (ankyloglossia). This procedure is performed on the connective tissue under the tongue. The procedure is often performed on neonatal patients to assist with nursing or on toddlers or older patients who need the surgery to help correct speech issues caused by limited movement due the the frenum.

Additional Procedures

Sinus Lift

A sinus lift is a surgery that adds bone to your upper jaw in the premolar and molar areas of your mouth. To add bone, an incision is made where the premolar and molar teeth were previously located. Once the bone is exposed, a small circular shape is made in the bone to access the sinus. Once the sinus is accessed, the sinus membrane is gently pushed up and away from the upper jaw. Once this is done, bone graft material is placed into the sinus space to change the shape and provide support. Once the bone is in place, the incision is closed and the healing process begins.

Facial Trauma

Facial trauma involves injuries to the bone, teeth, skin, gums or other soft tissues.

Depending on the type of facial trauma sustained, there are many different treatment options available. The primary goals of treatment are to stop any bleeding from occurring, create a clear airway, repair any broken or fractured bone, and or suture any damaged soft tissue. Treatment is immediate, as long as there are no neck fractures or life-threatening injuries.

Sleep Disorders

Sleep apnea is a disorder in which one experiences one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep.

Sleep apnea is an ongoing condition that disrupts sleep. When breathing is paused or becomes shallow, one will often move out of deep sleep and into light sleep, making the quality of sleep poor.

Sleep apnea can be treated with lifestyle changes, mouthpieces, breathing devices, and/or surgery.

For mild sleep apnea, a custom fitted mouthpiece or some lifestyle changes (weight loss, smoking cessation, clearing nasal passages) may be helpful.

For moderate to severe sleep apnea, a breathing device called CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) or surgery to widen the breathing passages by shrinking, stiffening, or removing excess tissue in the mouth and throat or resetting the lower jaw may be helpful. A CPAP machine uses a mask that fits over your mouth and/or nose and gently blows air into your throat. This air pressure helps keep your airway open while you sleep. Surgery to shrink the tissue involves a small shot into the breathing passages. Surgery to stiffen excess tissue requires a small incision in the tissue and the insertion of a piece of stiff plastic.

Facial Cosmetic Surgery

Extractions

Apicoectomy

Gum Reshaping

Gum reshaping or contouring is a procedure performed to reshape the gums if they rest too low or too high on your teeth. In order to reshape the gum tissue, a line is drawn to mark the new gum line. Once approved, anesthesia is applied to the area and the contouring begins. A dental instrument (typically a scalpel or laser) is used to reshape the gum tissue and trim away any extra tissue overhanging the tooth.

Nerve Repositioning

Socket Preservation

Pre-Prosthetic Surgery

Distraction Osteogenesis

Distraction osteogenesis is a procedure performed in reconstructive surgeries to correct skeletal deformities that could result in health problems. Distraction osteogenesis is the process by which bone is surgically cut and then slowly separated at a controlled rate over the course of several days. This slow separation combined with the bone healing process allows new bone to fill in the gap created by the cut.

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