Archive for the ‘ Oral Surgery Blog for Patients ’ Category

VIDEO: Find Out What Sets Us Apart

Our mission is to provide professional, compassionate care that’s safe, valued and accessible. Thanks to feedback from our patients, we know we’re meeting that mark: “I had such a smooth experience from beginning to end, I knew what to expect the whole time.” “They made me feel like family.” “The technology they have is really […]

Key Facts About Dental Implants

A missing tooth has a negative impact on the appearance of your smile and can make you self-conscious. But being short one or more teeth isn’t just a cosmetic issue. Missing teeth can impact your speech and influence the foods you eat. Relying more on your remaining teeth can damage them and may lead to […]

Inside Trauma Center Care: “He Didn’t Mean to Shoot”

You couldn’t call John Macleod lucky, exactly, that day in November 2016. Lucky would have been not being shot in the face at all. But with that large exception, fortune was smiling on Macleod. How else, after a 410-gauge shotgun shell was fired at close range from a .45-caliber pistol at his face, could he […]

VIDEO: When Should You Get Your Wisdom Teeth Out?

The best time to have wisdom teeth removed is when a problem is first noticed—before there’s serious pain or infection. For that reason, all young adults should have a professional evaluation of their wisdom teeth. Just because there isn’t pain doesn’t mean there’s not a problem. To learn more, watch our video.

Eating Right After Surgery

After oral surgery, whether you’re having wisdom teeth removed, getting dental implants or having another type of invasive procedure, it’s important to eat soft, nutritious foods to aid the healing process. Keep foods lukewarm or cold as hot foods might irritate your wound. Here are some good options: Applesauce Apples, baked Avocado Beans, refried or […]

Inside Trauma Center Care: Accident in an Apple Orchard

  This is the second in a series of three trauma patient stories from surgeons at the Center for Oral Surgery & Dental Implants. They’re among 13 oral surgeons who take turns on call at a Level I trauma center that draws cases from all over West Michigan. “We come in and cover all facial […]

VIDEO: Dental Implants: What to Expect

Imagine having a set of artificial teeth that are part of your body and don’t need to be taken out at night. Dental implants are the closest thing we have in our field to the tooth—or teeth—you’ve lost. They’re easy to clean and don’t damage nearby teeth. When you take care of them well, they […]

What to Expect When You have Wisdom Teeth Removed

Knowing what you can expect to happen after surgery to remove wisdom teeth helps to reduce anxiety about the procedure. It can also help you prepare so your recovery will be as comfortable as possible. What will I feel like? On the first day after surgery, you may experience some minor bleeding and pain. You […]

VIDEO: Opioid-Free Pain Relief

Pain relief after surgery is particularly important because we want our patients to go home and be comfortable and be able to continue their activities of daily living without a significant amount of pain. Opioids are not very effective pain relievers and carry risks. So we choose to carry a lot of different options for […]

Inside Trauma Center Care: Equipment Fail on the Slopes

This is the third and final post in a series of trauma patient stories from surgeons at the Center for Oral Surgery & Dental Implants. They’re among 13 oral surgeons who take turns on call at a Level I trauma center that draws cases from all over West Michigan. Downhill ski racer Georgette Sake, now […]