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.
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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? Many people do not have enough space in their mouths for their wisdom teeth to erupt properly. This lack of space can prevent the wisdom teeth from emerging, resulting in a condition known as impacted wisdom teeth. Additionally, wisdom teeth may grow at an angle, potentially leading to crowding and movement of other teeth, which can cause damage to your healthy teeth.
Though not very common, impacted wisdom teeth can lead to the development of cysts or tumors. Even when these teeth begin to emerge, they are often covered by gum tissue, which can result in gum and bone disease, cavities, and discomfort. While it is possible to maintain your wisdom teeth in some cases, it is advisable to consult with your dental provider and an oral surgeon for the best course of action. When should I consider removal of my wisdom teeth? It’s generally safest to consider removing wisdom teeth while the roots are still developing, which can be assessed with an up-to-date X-ray. Each patient has a unique "dental age" that may not match their chronological age. However, in most cases, the ideal time to think about wisdom tooth removal is in the mid to late teenage years.
Getting your wisdom teeth removed sooner rather than later can help prevent pain and other problems caused by impacted teeth. Please consider seeing us for a consultation so we can help you understand the best time for treatment based on your individual needs and health. Expectations? Typically, we begin with a consultation to discuss your medical history and conduct an examination before scheduling your treatment. During this consultation, we will address any questions you may have and discuss the procedure in detail, including options for anesthesia—most patients feel more comfortable undergoing their procedure while asleep.
Additionally, we will go over pre- and post-operative instructions to ensure you feel well-prepared. Once you decide to move forward with the treatment, we will work with you to find a convenient time and assist you in coordinating 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 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 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).
