Why Choose a Board-Certified Oral Surgeon?

When choosing a doctor for your oral surgery needs, education, training, and experience are all factors to consider. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons complete a rigorous 4- or 6-year hospital-based residency after completing 4 years of dental school. Those oral surgeons who complete the 6-year residency have also completed medical school as part of their training. Additionally, they serve as a General Surgery resident for one year after receiving the M.D. degree. Once residency training is completed, two more years of study are required for Board-Certification, which is the culmination of over a decade of medical and dental education and training. Board-Certification is very challenging and requires hundreds of hours of intense study. Board-Certification is optional, not required, so choosing a certified-surgeon ensures that your doctor has completed his or her final testing.

Oral surgeons are experts in dental implants, tooth removal, bone grafting, anesthesia and intravenous sedation, and various other surgeries related to the jaw and facial bones. They also administer cosmetic neuromodulators such as Botox and Xeomin, as well as facial fillers.

At our beautiful Waxhaw location, just south of Weddington and South Charlotte, we provide an oral surgery experience that breaks the norm. You'll feel confident that you're in good hands from the moment you walk through the doors. Come see for yourself.

What is Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF)?

PRF CONCENTRATES YOUR HEALING POWER

In the normal healing process, your immune system sends white blood cells and growth factors to the surgery site. These cells and growth factors are constituents of what we call ‘inflammation.’ Inflammation causes pain and swelling, but is one of the first steps in healing. PRF is a collection of these good cells, which gives you a ‘jump-start’ in the healing process. PRF is especially useful in patients with diabetes and other conditions that impair healing.

WHAT IS PLATELET RICH FIBRIN (PRF) MADE FROM?

PRF is made from your own blood. Blood is drawn from a vein into test tubes. This blood is spun in a centrifuge until all of the unwanted cells are separated from the ‘good’ cells that we want. The layer of PRF contains white blood cells, growth factors, fibrinogen (which helps with clotting), and more.

Studies have shown that adding PRF to surgical sites, including tooth extraction sockets, bone grafts, and soft tissue defects minimizes pain, swelling, and speeds healing and recovery. It also enhances bone and soft tissue growth when and where we need it. At Providence Oral Surgery, PRF is often used during bone grafting, soft tissue grafting, dental implant placement, and occasionally in extraction sockets to reduce bleeding, pain, and swelling.

At Providence Oral Surgery in Waxhaw, our Board-Certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, Dr. Parelli, will discuss if PRF will be a beneficial option for you.

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What is an immediate dental implant?

Dental implants are the best replacement for natural teeth. Traditionally, when a tooth must be removed, a bone graft is placed in the tooth's socket to fill the space. This bone graft requires a few months to heal before an implant can be placed. Once the implant is surgically placed, you'll need another 2-3 months of healing before the implant can be restored with a crown (cap). This traditional protocol takes 4-6 months from the time of tooth removal to your very last visit where the crown is seated. During this period of time, you'll still have an empty space (gap) where the implant was placed, because while it's healing, there is no crown on it. To fill the gap while you're healing, you can either leave the gap empty, or have a temporary, removable tooth placed. Alternatively, you may be a candidate for an IMMEDIATE implant.

An immediate implant can save months from your total treatment time by bypassing the step where a bone graft is placed in the socket after tooth removal. In this scenario, the tooth is removed, and a dental implant is placed directly in the socket, achieving stability by engaging the existing socket walls. Usually, some bone grafting is required around the implant to fill the small gaps. BUT, the benefit is that, after a period of 2-3 months, the implant is ready to be restored with a crown. This saves 2-3 months of total treatment time.

Not everyone is a candidate for an immediate implant. Your oral surgeon will evaluate your X-rays to determine if your tooth's socket has sufficient bone to accommodate an immediate implant.

At Providence Oral Surgery, Dr. Parelli is an expert in immediate implant placement. During your consultation appointment at our Waxhaw office, our oral surgeon, Dr. Parelli will evaluate your specific needs, review your X-rays with you, and discuss all possible treatment options.

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