People are often hesitant about visiting their oral surgeon in Salt Lake City or any other place in Utah because of certain details they believe to be true. But, by believing in these myths you rob yourself the chance of having a healthy mouth, teeth and jaw. So, in order to dispel those myths and finally get the treatment you need here is a list of perceived ‘facts’ you’d be surprised to know are false.
Myth No. 1: Oral surgery is painful
Due to the use of oral anesthetics oral surgeries aren’t as painful as you might think they are. In fact, even if you’ve been already administered anesthesia your doctor will still ask you if you can still feel pain when the operation has proceeded. If you say “yes” then your oral surgeon will increase the dosage to stave off the painful sensation.
So, rest easy because most oral surgeries are no longer painful. What you should prepare for is when the anesthesia wears off because that’s when you’ll feel the pain. Although, oral surgeons will definitely prescribe you some strong painkillers to manage the pain after your surgery so the pain will still be manageable.
Myth No. 2: It takes time to recover
It’s not surprising to think that when you undergo oral surgery you might be out of commission for a week or two since other types of surgery could keep you nailed to your bed. But, the truth is oral surgery comes with a shorter recovery period than most people think. Most patients who undergo this procedure only need three days to four to fully recover.
In fact, you could even shorten your recovery period by sleeping more, taking your prescribed medication on time, avoiding vices like smoking and drinking alcohol and cleaning your mouth regularly. If you do these things, your mouth will be able to heal faster.
Myth No. 3: There’s no difference between a dentist and an oral surgeon
Dentists are highly skilled in performing procedures like tooth extraction, teeth cleaning and root canal treatments, to name a few. But, when it comes to procedures that are much more complicated and that involves the jawbone and other parts of the mouth an oral surgeon is more qualified to take care of these matters.
Don’t worry if you can’t figure out if you should be treated by a dentist or an oral surgeon because your dentist will tell you if the procedure you need should be handled by a surgeon.
Myth No. 4: All oral surgeons are qualified to perform all procedures
Unfortunately, not all oral surgeons are qualified to take on complicated procedures like maxillofacial surgery. You need to know if the surgeon you’re speaking with has the credentials to take care of the procedure you need, otherwise, you have to find another doctor to help you out. Fortunately, oral surgeons are required by law to inform you if they are not qualified to perform the procedure you need.
Myth No. 5: Oral anesthesia is dangerous
There was a time when people feared anesthesia because something simple as getting the wrong dosage could lead to tragic results. But, surgeons these days are much more careful when handling anesthetics and they know how much anesthesia you need to dull the pain and how much would already be dangerous. Doctors are not likely to exercise trial and error methods on their patients so there really is nothing to worry about getting anesthesia from an oral surgeon.
Oral surgery has come a long way from the methods employed in earlier times. So, you have the assurance that if you need to undergo surgery you’ll be well taken care of.
