Our expert team offers high-quality surgical services in Louisville for your oral health needs. We use state-of-the-art technology and operate using a gentle dental ethos, which means sedation dentistry is available for our adult patients for any procedure. Our team is committed to seeing you through your entire recovery; learn more about post-op care here.
Tooth Extraction
Sometimes, a tooth cannot be restored. In this case, the best course of action is to remove the tooth. For this procedure, the area is numbed with anesthesia and then loosened from the socket in the gum. After the loosening, the tooth is removed carefully using a forcep. Following tooth extraction, a few stitches may be required. As a gentle dental practice, patients always have the option of using nitrous oxide or sedation during their treatment.
Soft Tissue Biopsies
To diagnose abnormalities, including growths, lesions, and oral cancer, a sample of the soft tissue from your gums, called a biopsy, must be taken and sent to a lab for analysis. After analysis, Dr. Graves will discuss the results with you and go over your treatment options.
Alveoloplasty
This surgical procedure typically accompanies a tooth extraction and is used to smooth the jawbone in the incident of tooth loss.
Crown Lengthening
Crown lengthening is a surgical procedure that removes gum tissue and/or bone to expose more of a tooth’s structure and restore the tooth prosthetically.
Osseous Surgery
When a pocket around a tooth or teeth doesn’t respond to other treatments, osseous surgery is used to smooth and reshape the bone beneath the gum tissue. The surgery makes it more difficult for bacteria to survive in the gum tissue, thus preventing bone damage, bone loss, and lost teeth.
Laser Treatment
At Pearl Dental, we’re proud to use the latest technology for optimal dental care. Lasers, which work by creating energy in the form of light, allow many dental procedures to be performed with minimal noise and pain, and they’re less invasive than conventional surgery. Laser treatments often require little or no anesthetic, and both treatment and recovery times are faster when laser therapies are employed. Lasers can be used for cutting, removing tooth decay, vaporizing or reshaping tissue, or strengthening a bond between a filling and tooth, as well as a heat source for teeth whitening that enhances the effect of tooth-bleaching agents.
Surgical Exposure of Unerupted Tooth
If an adult tooth has not yet erupted, surgical exposure may be required to help move along the process, especially in conjunction with orthodontic procedures. The surgery is straightforward and involves using a laser to gently open up the gum in order to expose it. If necessary, a baby tooth present in the space can be removed at the same time.
Gingivectomies
This procedure is typically performed using a laser to remove a portion of the gum from in and around a tooth or multiple teeth as a treatment for gum disease. These can also be performed to lengthen the height or width of a tooth or a section of teeth.
Frenectomies
A frenectomy is a surgical procedure that loosens or removes a band of muscle tissue connected to the lip, cheek, or floor of the mouth. If this muscle attachment is not removed, it may prevent the tongue from moving freely, create unsightly gaps between teeth, or cause gums to recede from teeth. This procedure is usually performed with a laser under local anesthetic and is accompanied by an easy, unremarkable recovery.