Dr. Meghan Barroner is honored to be able to offer full scope oral and maxillofacial procedures in her oral & dental implant surgery office in Upper St. Clair, PA. Dr. Barroner is a Board Certified Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon with extensive, multi-year experience both within the hospital and private practice settings. Most oral surgery procedures will be completed in-office but on occasion, Dr. Barroner may suggest completing your care at St. Clair Hospital in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania. You can learn more about our services listed below by clicking on the procedure/title. When you are ready to schedule an appointment, you can reach out to us by clicking CONTACT US.
Anesthesia
Dr. Barroner, like most other Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons, has the unique opportunity to provide a safe, comfortable experience during your treatment. She has had extensive training in safely administering many types of anesthesia, including local anesthesia (“novocaine”), mild, moderate and deep sedation, and general anesthesia. She and her staff also maintain current certifications in basic life support and Dr. Barroner holds additional certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) and Adult Cardiac Life Support (ACLS).
WISDOM TEETH
How do I know if I have wisdom teeth? Most people develop four wisdom teeth, which are the last set of adult molar teeth to form and erupt into the mouth. The tooth buds can generally be seen on a panoramic x-ray around the age of 10-12 which continue to develop beneath the bone and gum tissue for several years.
Why might I need my wisdom teeth removed? Most people do not have enough space to allow the healthy eruption of their wisdom teeth into their mouth. Many times the lack of space will inhibit the wisdom tooth from erupting at all (and the tooth remains impacted) or the wisdom tooth becomes angled and may cause damage to your healthy teeth or could cause movement and crowding. Also, though uncommon, impacted wisdom teeth may develop cysts or tumors which is another reason to consider removing impacted wisdom teeth. Even if your wisdom teeth do start to come into your mouth in many cases there may be gum tissue overlying the tooth which may lead to gum and bone disease, cavities and discomfort. In some cases you may be able to maintain your wisdom teeth but it would be wise to consult with your dental provider and oral surgeon. When should I consider removal of my wisdom teeth? Generally it is safest to consider removal of your wisdom teeth during early root development (this can only be determined with an up-to-date radiograph). Each patient will have a different “dental age” that may not correlate with their chronological age but in most cases the age to consider removing wisdom teeth is from mid-late teens. Also, removing the wisdom teeth sooner rather than later may prevent possible pain and other issues which impacted teeth may cause. Please consider seeing us for a consult so we can help educate you more on when the best time for treatment is for your individual needs and health. Expectations? Typically we will have you come in for a consultation to review medical history and perform an exam before scheduling you for your treatment. Most patients feel more comfortable going to sleep for their procedure which we will talk in detail about during your consultation. We will also review all questions you may have regarding treatment and review pre and post operative instructions. Once you have decided to proceed with treatment we will work with you to find a time that suits your schedule and we will help coordinate your insurance benefits.
We perform routine and surgical extractions of teeth that your dentist feels are not salvageable or have a poor prognosis with traditional dental restorations. There may also be teeth that are impacted or extra teeth (supernumerary) other than your wisdom teeth that may require removal. We typically require a referral from your dentist prior to the planned extractions. Depending on your medical history and the treatment plan we can often provide treatment on your initial visit with us. Please see our section on dental implants to learn about how you can replace your tooth.
Impacted Canines
Adult canine teeth are the second most commonly impacted teeth (meaning they fail to erupt into the mouth) and they may require combination of care from your dentist, orthodontist and oral surgeon to help bring the canine tooth into the proper position. While the canine (the eye tooth) can be impacted, unlike the wisdom tooth, the canine plays a significant role in the dental arch as a key component in the smile esthetics as well as functionally. If the canine remains impacted it can cause damage to roots of your adjacent permanent teeth or develop pathology in addition to allowing significant changes to your “bite” and how your teeth align. The adult canine typically erupts around the age of 13 and is the last of the permanent front tooth to come into the mouth. It is recommended by the American Association of Orthodontist that all patients have a panoramic dental x-ray and exam around age 7 to determine if there are any missing teeth and to evaluate how the teeth are forming. Early intervention is the key for treating these problems and typically your oral surgeon will coordinate with your other dental providers to determine a treatment plan early on. Patients in their 30s and 40s may not have a good chance of treating the canine tooth and bringing it into a favorable position due to the increased bone density and fusion of the tooth to the bone.
DENTAL IMPLANTS & ALL-ON-4
There are many ways to replace teeth but the most natural in appearance and function is the dental implant with restoration. Treatment planning for your dental implant is one of the most important steps in the successful outcome of the dental implant. We will work closely with your other dental providers, including your dentist, and if necessary your prosthodontist, periodontist, and orthodontist to provide the best treatment possible. It is important to determine if you are a candidate for dental implants and we will discuss this along with your treatment options and what your individual treatment needs are at your implant consultation.
If you are missing one tooth, multiple teeth, or all of your teeth you still can benefit from dental implants, please come talk to us about what your goals are so we can provide you with the smile you always wanted and that you deserve.
The All-on-4 is a great option for many patients, especially those with moderate to severe gum and bone loss (periodontal disease) who may benefit from removal of all teeth with replacement of a “permanent” set of teeth held in place by four dental implants in each jaw. These can even be done so you leave with teeth the same day.
Some patients are candidates for immediate dental implants in a tooth extraction site. If you aren’t sure if you want to move forward with dental implants or if you aren’t a candidate for an immediate dental implant we can help preserve the site for a future implant using immediate socket grafting. Many studies show the negative effects of leaving a tooth socket empty after extraction due to the loss of both the width and height of the bone available. Even if you a proceeding with a bridge to replace your missing tooth socket grafting can help maintain the natural bone shape which will help make your bridge appear more natural.
Hard and Soft Tissue Grafting
Whether we are working with you for your implant treatment, which may require both some bone and soft tissue grafts, or you need soft tissue grafts for other areas around natural teeth or to help your dentures fit better we can help you achieve the best result possible. There are many different types of material we can use to graft including: your own bone or soft tissue, human cadaver bone and soft tissue, animal cadaver bone or soft tissue (cow, pig, or horse). Depending on your individual needs we will choose the best product for you.
Adjuncts to Grafting
Bone and soft tissue grafting can often times be unpredictable even in an ideal candidate for these treatments, therefore your provider will often encourage the use of platelet rich plasma (PRP) to help enhance the healing of your graft. This product comes straight from you and is just as simple as a routine blood draw. It can help decrease many of the side effects of the surgery such as swelling, bruising and decrease the risk of infection while improving the bone density and how quickly the graft heals. Another product which can be drawn simultaneously is platelet rich fibrin (PRF). PRF can be used for many purposes but most often is utilized as a protective barrier for your graft.
Oral Pathology
Oral screenings are part of our routine evaluation to check for lesions or masses present inside or outside the mouth or within the bones of the jaw seen on your x-ray. If we notice anything on your exam or if you were referred here from your primary care doctor or dentist we will discuss with you treatment options and answer questions regarding planned treatment and expected outcomes. We know it can be scary to learn about a mass or lesion, but we will offer you the best and most up-to-date care possible and coordinate care with additional providers if necessary.
Facial Trauma
Dr. Barroner has spent countless hours performing complex facial reconstruction on patients who have suffered facial trauma and has the skill and expertise needed to help manage your facial fractures, particularly of the upper and lower jaws and cheek bones. Also, dental trauma can often occur which may require repositioning and or splinting of the teeth and coordination with other dental providers.
TMJ Disorders
Temperomandibular joint pain and dysfunction can be a frustrating disability to deal with, but we are here to help diagnose and treat this complex and multi-factorial disorder. Once a consultation is complete Dr. Barroner can recommend a treatment plan which may include additional imaging prior to treatment.
Minimally-invasive Cosmetic Procedures
There are many products that can be used in a minimally invasive fashion to help enhance your natural beauty. Products such as Botox and facial fillers can help erase those stubborn crows feet and forehead wrinkles. If you are interested in learning more, please ask Dr. Barroner and her team. You can also learn more by visiting out dedicated Botox and fillers site -Click Here!
Ultra Low Dose Cone Beam CT and Dental X-rays
You may have current diagnostic x-rays from your dental provider which we will happily evaluate and utilize during your consultation and treatment, however in some cases the images may be outdated or of limited diagnostic quality or more information is needed in which case Dr. Barroner may prescribe additional x-rays including panoramic or cone beam x-rays. Dr. Barroner is very conscientious of the levels of radiation her patients are exposed to and therefore carefully considers the information she needs before requesting x-rays (the ALARA principle---as low as reasonable achievable).