Oral Surgery in Durham, NC
Good oral surgery starts before the first incision — with imaging clear enough to plan around. Our Watkins Road office, minutes from Southpoint, uses 3D cone-beam scanning to map every surgical case in three dimensions, then handles the common procedures in-house: wisdom teeth, extractions, implant work, and light bone grafting. For a community that asks good questions and prefers a plan it can see, that’s the appeal — the same team, the same record, and a clear-eyed read on exactly what your situation needs.
Wisdom tooth flaring up or a tooth that needs to go? Call (919) 813-2267 and we’ll scan it and walk you through the options.
Procedures We Perform In-House
- Wisdom teeth — both erupted molars and a wide range of impacted ones
- Tooth removal — simple extractions and surgical work on fractured teeth or roots left behind
- Implant surgery — placement guided by 3D cone-beam planning
- Grafting (minor) — preserving socket and ridge volume, plus modest grafts at the moment an implant goes in
- Alveoloplasty — contouring the ridge as teeth come out, ahead of a denture
- Bony-growth (tori) removal — where it’s warranted
Wisdom Teeth: Why the Imaging Decides
Third molars are the last teeth to develop, usually in the late teens, and a crowded jaw leaves them impacted — angled, partly erupted, or fully buried — where they invite infection and crowding. Most come out without drama, and erupted teeth plus a wide range of impacted ones are handled right here.
The honest part: not every third molar should be removed by a general practice, and we don’t pretend otherwise. The lower wisdom teeth can sit a millimeter off the main nerve threading the jaw, and the upper ones can press against the maxillary sinus. When the cone-beam scan shows that kind of proximity, or a tooth buried unusually deep, the lower-risk route is an oral surgeon. We read the 3D images precisely so that call is based on your anatomy, not a hunch — and when referral is the right answer, you’ll hear it from us directly.
Anesthesia and Comfort
The procedure is done under local anesthesia, so the area is fully numb. For nerves, nitrous oxide provides light, adjustable relaxation that lifts within minutes once the mask is removed, and a calming tablet can be prescribed for patients who’d rather arrive already relaxed. We don’t offer IV sedation in the office; if a case clinically requires general anesthesia, that’s a referral to a surgeon set up for it.
What we refer out. We’d rather tell you our limits than test them on you. An oral and maxillofacial surgeon should handle corrective jaw procedures, repair after facial trauma or fracture, sinus augmentation, and biopsies; we also hand off the most deeply buried or nerve-bordering third molars and any infection that has reached the neck or hardened the nearby tissue. We arrange the handoff and forward your scans so nothing’s redone.
Cost and Insurance
Dental plans typically pay toward medically required removals, wisdom teeth among them, often at a substantial share past the deductible. Since the charge tracks each individual tooth, we confirm your coverage and put the figures in writing at your planning visit rather than quoting a single online price. Implant fees are spelled out on our Durham implants page. For any portion you owe, our O2 Advantage Plan, plus CareCredit and Sunbit, offers monthly terms.
Oral Surgery— Durham – Frequently Asked Questions
How do you decide if a wisdom tooth can be done here?
It comes down to the cone-beam scan, which shows how near the tooth runs to the nerve and sinus. Erupted molars and many buried ones we take out in-office; the riskiest sit with a surgeon.
What sedation is available?
The site is fully numbed, laughing gas is on hand to relax you, and a calming pill can be taken before you come. We don’t run IV lines for sedation.
Does insurance contribute?
Coverage applies to medically necessary removals on most plans. We check your benefits, hand you a written figure at the consult, and offer our O2 Advantage Plan, plus CareCredit and Sunbit, for whatever’s left.
Do you handle jaw surgery or facial trauma?
No — those, plus sinus augmentation and biopsies, are referred out. We keep wisdom teeth, removals, implants, and minor grafting in-house.
How long is healing?
Soft tissue is largely healed inside a week; the opening 48 hours are most noticeable. Keep that early clot in place to steer clear of dry socket.
Book an Book an Oral Surgery Consultation in Durham
Wisdom teeth, an extraction, or an implant consult — book online or call.
Schedule Today!
We look forward to meeting you. Call (919) 813-2267 or request an appointment online to set up your first visit. We’ll be in touch soon.
O2 Dental Group of Durham
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9:00am – 5:00pm
9:00am – 5:00pm
9:00am – 5:00pm
9:00am – 5:00pm
8:00am – 2:00pm (every other Friday)
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