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Dental surgery

Dental surgery is any of a number of medical procedures that involve artificially modifying dentition; in other words, surgery of the teeth, gums and jaw bones. Some of the more common are: Endodontic (surgery involving the pulp or root of the tooth) Root canal treatment Pulpotomy — the opening of the pulp chamber of the tooth to allow an infection to drain; usually a precursor to a root canal Pulpectomy — the removal of the pulp from the pulp chamber to temporarily relieve pain; usually a precursor to a root canal Apicoectomy — a root-end resection. Occasionally a root canal alone is enough to relieve pain and the end of the tooth, called the apex, is removed by entering through the gingiva and surgically extracting the diseased material. Prosthodontics (dental prosthetics) Crown (caps) — artificial covering of a tooth made from a variety of biocompatible materials, including CMC/PMC (ceramic/porcelain metal composite), gold or a tin/aluminum mixture. The underlying tooth must be reshaped to accommodate these fixed restorations Veneers — artificial coverings similar to above, except that they only cover the forward (labial or buccal) surface of the tooth. Usually for aesthetic purposes only. Bridge — a fixed prothesis in which two or more crowns are connected together, which replace a missing tooth or teeth through a bridge. Typically used after an extraction. Implant — a procedure in which a titanium implant is surgically placed in the bone (mandible or maxilla), allowed to heal, and 4–6 months later an artificial tooth is connected to the implant by cement or retained by a screw. Dentures (false teeth) — a partial or complete set of dentition which either attach to neighboring teeth by use of metal or plastic grasps or to the gingival or palatal surface by use of adhesive. Implant-supported prosthesis — a combination of dentures and implants; bases are placed into the bone, allowed to heal, and metal appliances are fixed to the gingival surface, following which dentures are placed atop and fixed into place.

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Related concepts (5)
Dental extraction
A dental extraction (also referred to as tooth extraction, exodontia, exodontics, or informally, tooth pulling) is the removal of teeth from the dental alveolus (socket) in the alveolar bone. Extractions are performed for a wide variety of reasons, but most commonly to remove teeth which have become unrestorable through tooth decay, periodontal disease, or dental trauma, especially when they are associated with toothache.
Wisdom tooth
The third molar, commonly called wisdom tooth, is the most posterior of the three molars in each quadrant of the human dentition. The age at which wisdom teeth come through (erupt) is variable, but this generally occurs between late teens and early twenties. Most adults have four wisdom teeth, one in each of the four quadrants, but it is possible to have none, fewer, or more, in which case the extras are called supernumerary teeth. Wisdom teeth may become stuck (impacted) against other teeth if there is not enough space for them to come through normally.
Dentist
A dentist, also known as a dental surgeon, is a health care professional who specializes in dentistry, the branch of medicine focused on the teeth, gums, and mouth. The dentist's supporting team aids in providing oral health services. The dental team includes dental assistants, dental hygienists, dental technicians, and sometimes dental therapists. In China as well as France, the first people to perform dentistry were barbers. They have been categorized into 2 distinct groups: guild of barbers and lay barbers.
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