oral surgery (6)

Oral Surgery During Pregnancy: Is It Safe?

Pregnancy is a time of heightened concern for a woman's health and well-being, often prompting questions about what medical treatments and procedures are safe during this crucial period. Oral health is no exception; dental issues may sometimes require oral surgery. But can pregnant women get oral surgery without risking their health or their baby's health? In this blog, we'll explore the considerations and safety measures associated with oral surgery during pregnancy, highlighting the importance of dental treatment in Ladner and a dentist's role in providing guidance for expectant mothers.

Oral Health During Pregnancy

Oral health is an integral component of overall health and becomes even more critical during pregnancy. Pregnant women are susceptible to specific dental issues, such as gum inflammation (gingivitis) and pregnancy-related gingival enlargement. Hormonal changes during pregnancy can also affect the gums, increasing sensitivity and a higher risk of gum disease. If left untreated, these conditions can escalate and affect both the mother's and baby's health.

Common Oral Surgery Procedures During Pregnancy

Certain dental issues may necessitate oral surgery, which can be performed during pregnancy. Some common oral surgery procedures include:

  1. Tooth Extraction: When a tooth is severely decayed, infected, or causing significant pain, extraction may be the best solution to prevent further complications.
  2. Abscess Drainage: If an abscess (a painful, pus-filled infection) forms in the mouth, it needs to be drained to alleviate pain and prevent the spread of infection.
  3. Gum Surgery: In some cases, gum surgery may be required to treat advanced gum disease or address pregnancy-related gum issues.

Considerations for Oral Surgery During Pregnancy

When contemplating oral surgery during pregnancy, several factors come into play:

  1. Timing: Whenever possible, non-urgent oral surgery is typically postponed until after the first trimester, which is considered the most critical period of fetal development. However, if a dental issue requires immediate attention, it may be addressed during any stage of pregnancy.
  2. Anesthesia: The choice of anesthesia is crucial during oral surgery for pregnant women. Local anesthesia is generally considered safe and is the preferred option. Conscious sedation and general anesthesia are used cautiously, and the potential risks and benefits are carefully assessed on a case-by-case basis.
  3. Radiation Exposure: Dental X-rays are sometimes necessary for diagnosis and treatment planning. The exposure to radiation from dental X-rays is minimal, and using lead aprons and thyroid collars helps shield the fetus from radiation.
  4. Medications: The dentist will consider the safety of any medications prescribed during or after oral surgery. Certain antibiotics and pain medications are considered safe during pregnancy, while others may need to be avoided or used cautiously.
  5. Positioning: During oral surgery, the positioning of the expectant mother is crucial to ensure her comfort and safety. Special chairs or pillows may be used to help maintain a comfortable and safe position.
  6. Hydration and Monitoring: Adequate hydration and monitoring of the mother's vital signs are essential during oral surgery to ensure her well-being and that of her baby.

Consultation with a Dentist

If you are pregnant and require oral surgery or have dental concerns, it's essential to consult a dentist in Ladner who is experienced in treating pregnant patients. The dentist will thoroughly assess your oral health, discuss your pregnancy stage, and consider any pre-existing medical conditions. You can develop a treatment plan with your dentist that addresses your dental needs while minimizing any potential risks to you and your baby. Additionally, your dentist can guide you on maintaining good oral hygiene during pregnancy to prevent dental issues and ensure a healthy mouth for you and your child.

Conclusion

Oral surgery during pregnancy is a consideration when necessary for addressing dental issues that may impact the health and well-being of the expectant mother and her baby. While precautions are taken to ensure safety, consulting with a qualified dentist in Ladner to evaluate the need for oral surgery, discuss the potential risks and benefits, and receive appropriate care throughout your pregnancy is essential. Prioritizing your oral health during pregnancy is important in ensuring a healthy start for you and your baby.

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Rock Creek Oral Surgery Specialists

With great power comes great responsibility, and at Rock Creek Oral Surgery, you get excellence through and through.Our team consists of two of the best Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Specialists. Not to mention, our entire motto is based on creating a safe and comfortable environment for our patients. With true devotion and altruism, we focus on providing you with top-quality customer care. After all, your smile is just as unique as you are.

Dr. Rudy Garza


Dr. Rudy Garza’s journey began when he attended Texas A&M College of Dentistry. After that, his path was set; the world of Dentistry had claimed him. Since then, Dr. Garza has accumulated a variety of accolades and is now board certified. However, he continues to maintain his drive to learn. Every year, he receives special training in Periodontology and Implantology at The Perio Institute of Brazil. Despite that, his primary focus remains on Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery in Cypress, Tomball, and Spring areas. Dr. Rudy Garza is a man with strong family values. He likes to spend time with his wife and daughters, along with playing the occasional tennis match in his free time.

Dr. Nick Bennetts


Dr. Nick Bennetts is an exceptional Oral Surgery Specialist. His passion for helping others and acknowledging their problems truly sets him apart. He doesn’t just treat his patients on a physical level; instead, he helps to understand them on an emotional, financial, and personal level as well.Dr. Bennetts received his DDS degree at the University of Colorado. Over the years, he has gone to explore many variables, but his interests remain in Orthognathic Surgery. So much so that upon graduation, he was awarded the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery achievement award. With his credentials, Dr. Bennetts wishes to develop meaningful relationships with his patients so he can do his best to make a difference in their health and lifestyle.

Rebecca Garza


Rebecca Garza is a woman with many talents. Her love for social media led her to take the initiative and become the Marketing Director for Rock Creek Oral Surgery. Moreover, after practicing for over six years (and counting), Rebecca now helps out as a full-time Anesthesiologist Assistant at the dental center.

Audrey Curry


Audrey Curry is a bright star. She’s a Surgical Assistant who graduated from Cypress Dental Assisting School. Her liveliness, paired with her drive to learn, is what makes her so remarkable. 

Rock Creek Oral Surgery Specialists

14119 Grant Rd Suite 140, Cypress, TX

7429(832) 930-7801

https://goo.gl/maps/UeQN4ACaCKjG9uWy9

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When you think of COVID-19 symptoms, what comes to mind? Probably a fever, dry cough and shortness of breath — perhaps loss of taste and smell. Yet an inability to enjoy the flavors of a savory bowl of pasta or your favorite dessert is not the only oral health problem people can experience with this virus. Below are other conditions that doctors and researchers have noticed are appearing with COVID-19.

Geographic tongue occurs when there’s a loss of papillae — tiny projections that are shaped like hairs — from the tongue’s surface. Those experiencing it develop red, smooth patches, as though a map has been spread out on their tongues. Some patients develop pain or burning, as well as sensitivity to certain foods.

Xerostomia, or dry mouth, is caused by insufficient production of saliva. Dry mouth can create a cascade of problems, from difficulty chewing and swallowing to hoarseness, sore throat, gum problems and more.

Read more: https://www.grandrapidsoralsurgery.com/blog/covid-19-how-it-affects-oral-health/

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Proud to be Good for Michigan

We’re excited to announce that The Center for Oral Surgery and Dental Implants in Grand Rapids and Rockford, MI is a proud recipient of a Good for Michigan Award for 2020.

This award is especially important to us as our practice works hard to be more than just an oral surgeon and a provider of dental implants and wisdom teeth removal, we strive to be a valued member of the community. 

What it means to be Good for Michigan

Each year, hundreds of businesses across the state participate in Good For Michigan by working to be a positive influence in the community. Just one business is recognized for each of four areas of impact:

  • Governance--Given to a company with high standards for ethics, accountability and business practices that foster integration of social and environmental goals for employees and stakeholders alike. 
  • Environment --Awarded for leadership in sustainability. 
  • Employees--Being a great company to work for, with fair wages and benefits and forward-thinking professional development for employees.
  • Community--Awarded to a business that contributes to the economic and social well-being of the community.

Good for Governance

Each oral surgeon at our practice and our support team were honored with the Good for Governance Award. The committee noted the practice’s strong commitment to following our mission statement every day, along with our dedicated sustainable governance guidelines. These guidelines help us to maintain company values and provide a dependable service for patients in need of advanced oral health care. 

Our mission statement: “Our Mission is to provide professional and compassionate care that is safe, valued and accessible.”

An oral surgeon you can trust

Whether you’re coming to see us for dental implants, wisdom teeth removal or one of the many oral surgeries and treatments offered at The Center for Oral Surgery and Dental Implants, our team of expertly-trained doctors are here to help. Our offices are located at 4349 Sawkaw Drive NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525 and 158 Marcell, Suite B, Rockford, MI 49341. You can contact us by phone on (616) 361-7327.

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Proud to be Good for Michigan

We’re excited to announce that The Center for Oral Surgery and Dental Implants in Grand Rapids and Rockford, MI is a proud recipient of a Good for Michigan Award for 2020.

This award is especially important to us as our practice works hard to be more than just an oral surgeon and a provider of dental implants and wisdom teeth removal, we strive to be a valued member of the community. 

What it means to be Good for Michigan

Each year, hundreds of businesses across the state participate in Good For Michigan by working to be a positive influence in the community. Just one business is recognized for each of four areas of impact:

  • Governance--Given to a company with high standards for ethics, accountability and business practices that foster integration of social and environmental goals for employees and stakeholders alike. 
  • Environment --Awarded for leadership in sustainability. 
  • Employees--Being a great company to work for, with fair wages and benefits and forward-thinking professional development for employees.
  • Community--Awarded to a business that contributes to the economic and social well-being of the community.

Good for Governance

Each oral surgeon at our practice and our support team were honored with the Good for Governance Award. The committee noted the practice’s strong commitment to following our mission statement every day, along with our dedicated sustainable governance guidelines. These guidelines help us to maintain company values and provide a dependable service for patients in need of advanced oral health care. 

Our mission statement: “Our Mission is to provide professional and compassionate care that is safe, valued and accessible.”

An oral surgeon you can trust

Whether you’re coming to see us for dental implants, wisdom teeth removal or one of the many oral surgeries and treatments offered at The Center for Oral Surgery and Dental Implants, our team of expertly-trained doctors are here to help. Our offices are located at 4349 Sawkaw Drive NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525 and 158 Marcell, Suite B, Rockford, MI 49341. You can contact us by phone on (616) 361-7327.

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What is an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon?

Sometimes, we usually think in general, placing a character like that capable of covering many specialties. It is not that it is a mistake, but a way of labeling the person according to the discipline that develops as a trade.

In the world of medicine, this is more than common because we see in the figure of one the work that many do, even if we know what he specializes in. With dentistry, it happens frequently since we assume that the dentist is in charge of everything related to the mouth.

But that's not entirely true. Today, a series of conditions and injuries are known in which the dentist must specialize. We insist this does not cause you to lose your label, but it does place you in positions that distance you from others that handle another set of knowledge and practices.

Do you know what an oral and maxillofacial surgeon is?

Not everyone in dentistry revolves around the most frequent conditions such as cavities or gingivitis that are usually treated by General Dentists. Some conditions and situations must be attended by Specialist Dentists, for example for orthodontic treatments, conditions of the dental nerves that are attended by Endodontists and a wide range of situations in which the Oral or Maxillofacial Surgeons intervene.

Competencies of these surgeons:

The oral and maxillofacial Oral surgeon has a huge range of medical development when he must do his job. If your work leads you to an intervention, it is worth remembering that these are not like those normally performed in other parts of the body, since some of them, especially the most common ones are outpatient. That is, they do not require hospitalization.

Who can use the name of the Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon?

Being an oral and maxillofacial surgeon means having the official title of specialist issued by the Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs.

What does a maxillofacial surgeon do?

The maxillofacial surgeon performs from wisdom tooth extractions or placement of dental implants to cosmetic oncological and reconstructive surgery.

These are several of his specialties:

1. Dental extractions:

The majority of dental extractions are performed by a dental hospital near me or General Dentists, for example, temporary or “milk” teeth and when the affected teeth have the entire crown, which would make the extraction “easier”.

However, when this has been lost, either by caries, by a blow or for any other reason, or when the tooth is trapped, the most convenient thing is that the extraction is performed by a Specialist in Oral or Maxillofacial Surgery.

2. Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ):

The articulation of our jaw with the skull is just in front of the ears and can present different problems, ranging from noise, clicking, pain and even dislocations that will affect the bite and general health of people.

An injury caused by a stroke, bruxism or bite problems not treated in time is also part of the diseases that the surgeon should review. If you have difficulty biting or your jaw is locked, you should look for an expert dental surgeon

3. Implants:

Definitive solution after tooth extraction. For aesthetic reasons, this practice is responsible for finalizing the first developed point, in which a worn part is replaced by a new one.

This technique has a recovery time very similar to that of the first point above, which is calculated between seven and ten days.

4. Tumors:

This is a completely extreme situation, but not impossible. The surgeon will be in charge of attacking this evil if it occurs. His work area, for obvious reasons, limits him to working with those that manifest in the mouth or neck.

Beyond the teeth:

One of the greatest benefits of those who specialize in oral and maxillofacial surgery is that it covers a larger space than that of other colleagues, whose range of action is in other currents.

For example, it can treat known diseases that have no direct relationship with dentistry, such as cleft lip, for example. It can also intervene if there is a facial reconstruction operation and if someone skilled in salivary glands is needed.

Similarlyyou can also treat the gumsalthough in situations of greater chaosWe have already indicated what is capable of caries and the consequences of periodontitisbut the accumulation of pus in the region can be resolved by draining the most affected place.

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