Advanced oral surgery — impacted teeth & jaw cysts
Beyond implants, the specialty's daily work: teeth that never erupted, roots wrapped around nerves, cysts quietly expanding in the jaw. Cases general practice refers on — because anatomy, imaging and surgical planning decide the outcome.
Impacted and difficult teeth
A tooth is impacted when bone, gum or a neighbouring tooth blocks its eruption — most often the lower wisdom teeth, but also canines and premolars. Surgical removal involves reflecting the gum, removing covering bone conservatively, often sectioning the tooth, and closing the site to heal. The technique is standard; the judgement lies in imaging (CBCT where roots approach the nerve canal), in deciding whether to operate at all, and in strategies such as coronectomy when nerve risk argues against complete removal.
Jaw cysts and benign pathology
Cysts of the jaws — radicular, dentigerous, keratocysts and others — grow silently and are often found on routine imaging. Treatment ranges from enucleation (complete removal of the lining) to staged decompression for large lesions near vital structures, with tissue sent for histopathology as routine. Follow-up imaging confirms bony healing and watches for the recurrence some cyst types are known for.
Surgery that serves other treatment
Much of oral surgery is preparatory: extracting unrestorable teeth while preserving the socket for a future implant, exposing impacted canines for orthodontics, removing roots and lesions before rehabilitation. Done well, it protects the bone and soft tissue the next stage depends on — the same reconstructive mindset described under bone grafting.
Risks and recovery
The general pattern: swelling peaking at 48 hours, manageable discomfort, sutures out within two weeks. Specific risks — nerve proximity in the lower jaw, sinus communication in the upper — are identified on imaging and discussed before consent. Persistent numbness, fever or worsening swelling are the signals to contact the clinic promptly.
Common questions
Do all wisdom teeth need removing?
No. Asymptomatic, fully erupted and cleanable wisdom teeth can often stay. Removal is indicated for recurrent infection (pericoronitis), decay in the wisdom tooth or the tooth in front, cyst formation, or damage risk to neighbouring structures — a judgement made on examination and imaging.
What are the risks of lower wisdom tooth surgery?
The specific ones are temporary or (rarely) persistent numbness of the lip, chin or tongue from proximity to the inferior alveolar and lingual nerves, plus the general risks of swelling, infection and dry socket. CBCT imaging when roots overlap the nerve canal is how that risk is quantified before consent.
Are jaw cysts cancer?
The overwhelming majority of jaw cysts are benign. They still need treatment because they expand, weaken bone and can damage teeth — and tissue is routinely sent for histopathological confirmation after removal.
Will I be awake during oral surgery?
Most procedures are done comfortably under local anaesthesia. Longer or more complex operations can be planned with sedation support — decided case by case at the clinic.