Dental problems can range from small issues like sore gums to requiring full-blown facial surgery. A dentist will typically perform dental exams and offer preventative care among other dental services. But for serious issues, such as impacted wisdom teeth, a trip to your regular dentist, unfortunately, won’t do you any good. Instead, you’ll need to see an oral and maxillofacial surgeon (OMS).  

It’s pretty normal for patients to first see their dentist when an oral problem arises. However, when the issue runs outside of the regular dentistry scope, it’s very likely that the patient will be referred to an OMS for treatment. The most common procedures performed by a Reno oral surgeon are wisdom teeth removal and dental implants. But is the oral surgery referral really necessary, or can anyone just schedule an appointment for surgery? Let’s take a look at this below.

dental implants near meDo I Need a Referral to See an Oral Surgeon in Reno?

As with most surgical procedures, it can seem like a long process. Thankfully, you can contact an oral surgeon to get yourself scheduled. This is done for several reasons and will depend on the oral surgeon you see as well as your insurance policy. A majority of OMSs require a referral to provide the patient with quality continuity of care. Insurance companies often require referrals to ensure the patient’s coverage of services and will likely deny paying for things like wisdom teeth removal or dental implants without going through the proper procedures.   

Getting a Referral to an Oral Surgeon from your Dentist

The steps to getting a referral from your dentist to see an oral surgeon are as follows:

Bring up dental concerns to your dentist

The first thing you need to do to get a referral for oral surgery is to address your dental problems with your dentist. Bringing up your concerns will help your dentist determine if an oral surgeon needs to be involved and when it’s appropriate to make an appointment. The sooner you address your concerns, the sooner you and your dentist can find the best solution. 

In doing so, your dentist will assess the severity of your dental problem and whether or not you’ll require surgery to renew your smile. A dentist will easily be able to determine if wisdom teeth extraction or getting dental implants will resolve your problems and will be happy to refer you to an oral surgeon to alleviate your concerns. 

Ask your dentist about oral surgeons near you

To find the best oral surgeon in Reno, talk to your dentist about the OMSs they recommend. An oral surgeon is a dental professional who has additional training in surgical techniques that allow them to perform reconstructive surgery on the face, oral cavities, head and neck, and mouth and jaw. Oral surgeons like Dr. Redlinger provide wisdom teeth removal, dental implants, bone grafting, and even pre-prosthetic surgery. 

Your dentist will offer the best oral maxillofacial experts in Reno for your treatment, so you can trust that you’ll be in good hands.

Stop in for a consultation 

Before booking your surgery with the first oral surgeon your dentist recommends, however, be sure to meet with them in person to ensure they’ll be a good fit for you. Many oral surgery practices are happy to offer a consultation prior to scheduling any surgery. Not only does this give them the chance to examine your mouth for themselves, but it helps you decide if they’re the right OMS for you. 

Wisdom Teeth Removal & Dental Implants by Oral Surgeon Dr. Redlinger 

Dr. Redlinger is a board-certified dental specialist that provides a full scope of oral surgery including dental implants to replace missing teeth, dental implants to support ill-fitting dentures, tooth extraction, bone grafts, and wisdom teeth surgeries. 

Come meet Dr. Scott M. Redlinger DMD, MD Reno's expert Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon so he can develop the right treatment plan for you!

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Summer is a great time to get things done! It’s also a great time to get those medical appointments done for your kids while they’re not in school. Which is why we at Reno Tahoe Oral Surgery believe it’s the best time of year to get your teen’s wisdom teeth removed. 

Let’s walk you through the process:

What are wisdom teeth?

First, let’s explain what wisdom teeth are and why we remove them. 

Wisdom teeth grow in the back part of your jaw. Most people have four of them, one in each corner of the mouth.

The reason wisdom teeth become a dental issue is because most people don’t have room in their mouths for these four massive sets of teeth.

As wisdom teeth start to come in, they can cause dental issues and damage to other teeth or, worse, the mouth. This causes overcrowding in the mouth which can cause severe jaw pain and teeth to crowd together.

Wisdom Teeth Extractions

All of the above may be alarming to tell your teen. 

However, we at Reno Tahoe Oral Surgery Center pride ourselves on being the premier wisdom teeth extraction center.

Our goal is to get your teen in-and-out of the extraction in roughly 45 minutes for both preoperative and postoperative care.

We also leave time to talk with you (the parents) about the recovery process after the surgery is over.

The reason why Summer is a great time to get your teen’s wisdom teeth removed is there’s plenty of time for tooth extraction aftercare.

It doesn’t have to be dreadful either.  Your teen can still do fun Summer activities such as:

While getting your wisdom teeth out sounds scary to some kids, there’s many benefits to getting it done sooner rather than later. 

If you have any questions about wisdom teeth or want to schedule an appointment for wisdom teeth removal, connect with us today.

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Reno Tahoe Oral Surgery & Dental Implant Center