Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon?

An Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon is an internationally recognized specialty within dentistry that specializes in treatment of diseases, injuries, and defects to the mouth and facial structures.  After four years of dental school, oral surgeons spend 4 to 6 years of additional training in a hospital based surgical residency. In residency they gain vast experience with dental implant surgery, removal of teeth, corrective jaw surgery, facial trauma, pathology, anesthesia and treatment of medically complex patients.  As oral and maxillofacial surgeons, Dr. Martin and Dr. Appelblatt practice with a vast expertise, performing many specialized surgical procedures including dental implant surgery, wisdom teeth removal, corrective jaw surgery, bone grafting surgery and the treatment of facial trauma.

2. What can I expect during my first visit?

Your first visit will consist of a thorough review of your case and existing conditions, followed by a consultation with Dr. Martin or Dr. Appelblatt where they will discuss your diagnosis and treatment options with you. While surgery can sometimes be performed the same day as the consultation, in many cases you will need to schedule another appointment. After carefully reviewing your case, you will be provided with a customized treatment plan and schedule. Read more about what to bring and how to prepare for your first visit here ».

3. Why should I have my wisdom teeth removed?

In some cases, wisdom teeth align properly in the mouth and gum tissue remains healthy. If this is the case, wisdom teeth do not have to be removed. Unfortunately, this is rare. In most cases, there is simply not enough room for the wisdom teeth to properly erupt and align in the mouth. They may be forced sideways, only partially emerge from the gum, or even remain completely trapped beneath the gum and bone.  Those wisdom teeth that do fully erupt often crowd adjacent teeth making it incredibly difficult to maintain adequate hygiene. In all these cases, the wisdom teeth should be removed in order to prevent pathology.

4. Are there surgical instructions I can review?

Yes, please check out the following pages for surgical instructions as they relate to your procedure.

• Before Anesthesia
• Wisdom Tooth Removal
• After Placement of Dental Implants
• After Tooth Extraction
• After Multiple Extractions
• After Exposure of an Impacted Tooth

5. Where are your offices?

We have 2 office locations for your convenience – one in Truckee, near the airport and another in South Lake Tahoe in the Tahoe Keys. Maps and directions can be found on our Contact page.

6. How much do your services, like wisdom teeth extraction and dental implant surgery, cost?

We create treatment plans to the specifics of each patient’s exact medical needs and because those needs vary, it can be difficult to quote an exact price for any of our services before a thorough examination is given. With that being said, we aim to be competitive in our fee schedule, sourcing our rates directly from the fee guidelines set by oral surgeons nationwide. Contact us today to schedule a consultation appointment so we can determine what procedure is best for you and discuss the affiliated costs.

7. What are some dental implant surgery recovery tips?

To ensure a full recovery, both pre- and post-operative meetings with your oral surgeon are important so we can best address your exact needs. There are however some general tips that can help during the healing process, listed here: http://tahoedentalimplants.com/dental-implant-recovery-tips/