Wisdom Teeth and Oral Surgery in Fontana

We recognize that nobody gets excited by the prospect of oral surgery, even a procedure as straightforward as wisdom tooth extraction. This is all the more reason to make sure that when you do need advanced treatment, you are being cared for by an expert in the field.

At WinningSmiles, we are proud to have Dr. Paul Anderson, a skilled oral surgeon, as part of our team. In addition to possessing his DDS degree, Dr. Anderson also has an MD. When you combine Dr. Anderson’s technical skill, knowledge, and expertise with his compassionate nature, you’ll find that even oral surgery can be a positive experience!

Wisdom Tooth Extraction

Wisdom teeth are an interesting evolutionary throwback. Our ancestors developed wisdom teeth to help them chew through tough, fibrous plants and other foods of the past. Today, however, we eat a far more processed, soft diet, and our mouths have developed to reflect that. As our jaws become smaller and less powerful, our wisdom teeth become more hindrance than help.

Some people are fortunate enough to have wisdom teeth that erupt properly and never give them a day of trouble. The rest of us, however, may struggle with wisdom teeth that don’t erupt properly and become impacted. This can happen when we don’t have quite enough room in our mouths, and the teeth either never fully erupt or erupt and then recede over and over.

Wisdom teeth can also lead to crowding, forcing the other teeth together. This can throw off your bite and make it more difficult to clean your teeth, which leads to other consequences in time. Because of their location, wisdom teeth are also more difficult to keep clean, making them more prone to decay.

If you or your child needs to have wisdom teeth removed, call WinningSmiles in Fontana, CA. Dr. Anderson will assess the situation with the help of advanced technology and create a treatment plan for you. Your comfort is one of our highest priorities, so we’ll also discuss your anesthetic options and sedation options to help you remain comfortable throughout your treatment.

Other Oral Surgery Procedures

Oral surgery doesn’t stop at wisdom tooth removal. We also place dental implants right here in our Fontana dental office. Many people are told that they aren’t a good candidate for dental implants because their bone isn’t sufficient, but surgical procedures like a sinus lift or bone grafting can improve your bone quality and density so you can get an implant.

Sinus Lift – Your sinuses are small cavities within the anatomy of your skull that are lined with mucus membranes. You usually don't notice them until you've developed a sinus infection! The maxillary sinus is the sinus in your cheek, next to your nose, and sometimes it's too low or close to the bone structure where we are planning to place an implant. In this case, we can perform a procedure called a sinus lift or a sinus augmentation to add bone and allow for implant placement. 

Bone Grafting – Tooth loss has a number of negative effects, and one of those is bone loss in the area of the missing tooth. This happens because the root is no longer present to signal the body that minerals are needed to maintain the bone structure. In time, bone loss can make it nearly impossible to replace a missing tooth with a dental implant. Bone grafting allows us to replace that lost bone structure. We can preserve the bone in a procedure called ridge preservation at the time of extraction, or use your own bone or donor bone to stimulate new bone growth with bone grafting. 

Another common surgical procedure we can perform here at WinningSmiles is the removal of tumors or cysts. Often these growths are benign (meaning, they are not cancerous); however, if they are allowed to remain in place, they can cause damage to the teeth or periodontal bone or lead to infection. 

Dr. Anderson also treats people with advanced periodontal disease or who need to restore their smiles after trauma occurs. Our cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) technology allows us to visualize your whole mouth in 3-D, including structures like your sinuses and joints, so that we can plan out your entire procedure ahead of surgery and know exactly what to expect. Surprises are never welcome during surgery, and advanced technology has allowed us to increase the precision and predictability of surgical procedures.

Call for an Evaluation

If you are experiencing trouble with you or your child’s wisdom teeth, you are missing teeth and wondering about dental implants, or you have been told that oral surgery is in your future, we encourage you to contact our dental practice and schedule an evaluation with our oral surgeon, Dr. Paul Anderson.