Our team specializes in the diagnosis, surgical and adjunctive treatment of diseases, injuries and defects involving both the functional and aesthetic aspects of the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial region.
You Don’t Have To Choose Between Compassion & Technical Skill.
Any type of surgery is daunting, but because our smiles are how we interact with the world around us, oral and maxillofacial surgery can be particularly stressful. For these emotionally and technically complex procedures, it is best to choose a practice with a unique blend of experience and compassionate care.
Elizabeth L. Wakim, DDS is a trusted, premier dentist in Washington, PA. She ensures that she can offer the best oral and maxillofacial surgery services possible by studying the latest surgical techniques and technological advances.
Common Questions
There are few dental procedures (outside of routine checkups and regular cleanings) that are necessary for everyone, but for the overwhelming majority of patients, wisdom teeth extraction is the best route. Wisdom teeth erupt when the mouth is already full of teeth, which can cause problems such as pain, infection, damage, and crowding. Wisdom teeth can also be difficult to clean and care for properly because they emerge so far back in the jaw, which may lead to decay or infection down the road.
The procedure of wisdom tooth extraction depends on a variety of factors. For patients whose wisdom teeth can be accessed easily, extraction simply involves numbing the area and using special dental tools to grip and remove the tooth, similar to any other tooth extraction. However, wisdom teeth are often crooked, impacted, or broken, which requires special attention. In these situations, the oral surgeon makes a small incision in the gum to extract the wisdom tooth and closes the incision with sutures.
When a tooth is missing or otherwise extracted, dental implants can be an excellent option for restoring the area as it helps you maintain a healthy maxillofacial bone structure. Patients with several missing or extracted teeth may require only a few dental implants, which can then be connected by a dental bridge or dentures. Your dentist can help you determine the best restoration option for your specific situation.
A sinus lift is a procedure commonly recommended for patients preparing to have dental implants placed. During the sinus lift, a bone graft– taken either from the patient’s own body or from a tissue bank– is used to augment the upper jaw bone. Doing this ensures that the upper jaw can support the implants and that there is enough room between the upper jaw and the sinus to accommodate the implant post.
At Elizabeth L. Wakim, DDS, believes that part of providing excellent dental care is giving patients the most comfortable experience possible. We use the latest pain management techniques to eliminate as much discomfort as we can. Following oral and maxillofacial surgery, patients are given detailed post-operative care instructions to help them effectively manage their recovery. Recommended aftercare for surgical procedures includes the use of ice and medication to manage swelling, as well as proper hygiene in order to minimize the risk of infection.
It is often necessary for an oral surgeon to be consulted when there are broken or fractured teeth, jaw injuries, gum disease, oral cancer (benign or malignant), oral cysts and tumors, eye socket fractures from trauma, or tumors in the face.
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We’d love to have you come in and be a part of our family. We’ll ensure that our compassion and sophistication in dental innovation leave you coming back for more.