What are the Risks With Oral Surgery?

Oral surgery is a tremendous and powerful tool that helps dental patients have good oral health. But it is a form of surgery and in that regard, patients should be aware that there are certain risks involved, albeit small ones. When you elect to have oral surgery in Houston and Katy, TX, your dentist will tell you everything you need to know to be healthy and strong thoughout the treatment.

Anesthesia

The first risk from oral surgery is the anesthesia itself. Since oral surgery is an invasive treatment, you may need to be put under general anesthesia. This carries small inherent risks that your anesthesiologist will explain to you in depth.

Dry Socket

Depending upon the type of oral surgery you get, you may run the risk of developing what’s known as dry socket. This is a condition where the empty tooth socket “dries up” because it has not formed a protective blood clot. The blood clot forms as part of the healing process that enables soft tissue to form over the bone and nerve endings. When that fails to happen, dry socket happens. Dry socket can usually be prevented by following post-operative instructions carefully.

Sinus Issues

If your oral surgery is happening on your upper jaw area, there is a slight risk that you could develop some minor sinus trouble afterward. This is because the sinuses are located very close to the upper wisdom teeth. This is not a common complication, but it does happen in some cases.

Oral surgery is a well-tested and very common treatment that’s performed hundreds of thousands of times all over the world. Most patients and dentists in Houston and Katy, TX agree that the benefits of oral surgery far outweigh the risks.