Oral Surgery

We have developed first class facilities in Moonee Ponds and Sunbury, giving us the capability to provide a variety of surgical procedures. Your Smile in Style team has the extensive training to complete surgical treatment ranging from tooth extractions to dental implants, bringing your smile to its most healthy state.

Wisdom Teeth

Between the ages of 17 and 25, most people experience the growth of their final permanent teeth. These third molars are called wisdom teeth. For many, these teeth erupt normally, just like any other teeth. However, sometimes wisdom teeth do not come straight through the gums as they should, but become trapped under the gums due to the position of other teeth. Often, there is simply no room in the mouth for the third molars to grow in properly. When this occurs, it is called impaction.

Impacted wisdom teeth are interesting in that they do not always cause discomfort. So teeth can be trapped in the jaw bone, and you will never know it. However, problems could result from this condition, so removing impacted wisdom teeth is important, even if no discomfort is presenting. An estimated 80 per cent of wisdom teeth require extraction to avoid problems in the future. Removing these teeth sooner facilitates an easier process, and avoids potential problems such as shifting teeth as third molars try to grow in.

During routine examinations, an OPG x-ray image will show us where wisdom teeth are situated, so that we can tailor an extraction plan that suits your needs. Wisdom tooth extraction may be performed in our office in the dental chair, or may take place in a hospital, depending on how many teeth need to be removed, and the overall state of health.

Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. We will discuss the risks of the procedure during your consultation as well as examine your health to ensure you are a suitable candidate for a surgical procedure. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.

Bone grafting

The loss of a tooth or teeth affects more than the appearance of your smile. When teeth are lost, an empty socket is left behind. Ideally, this space will be filled as healthy new bone grows. In some instances, bone growth is not sufficient to fully restore the empty socket to ideal proportions.

An inadequate amount of bone tissue can have a negative impact on oral health over time. The absence of the natural root creates an environment in which nutrients are lacking for healthy bone support, and therefore bone density becomes affected as the bone shrinks in size. This process called resorption can affect facial contours and also impact on your suitability for dental implants.

Bone grafting is an oral surgery procedure in which bone growth is achieved. Performing this surgery leads to the ability to place dental implants in adequate bone volume, improving the long-term success of dental implants. Decisions on whether grafting is necessary are usually made when a cone beam has been taken and the software planning has been reviewed. Sometimes a decision to place a graft may be made on the day of surgery. Most treatment is completed with local anaesthetic in our office.

We carefully handle your various dental needs. Contact us for your appointment.