“Going to the dentist” is a catch-all phrase many people use to cover all kinds of medical work related to one’s mouth. In reality, there are many specialized procedures related to this critical part of our bodies, from teeth to gums, jaws to palates, and more. Procedures can run from preventive care to routine maintenance to major reconstruction, and unsurprisingly, there are many types of practitioners within the field of oral medicine.
“We are surgical specialists under the general umbrella of dentistry,” explained Dr. Michael Ferguson, owner and partner (with Dr. DeMarcus Smith) of Oral Surgery Services. “I went to dental school, then did extensive additional residency training.”
The six-year program earned Ferguson an MD to go along with his DDS. A board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon, he is licensed in medicine and dentistry in Louisiana.
“I do surgery of the head, mouth and jaw,” Ferguson continued. “This can involve reconstructing bone and tissue, facial reconstruction, dental implants, and trauma treatment. I also treat pathologies.”
Among the most dramatic procedures Ferguson performs is orthognathic surgery, correcting the jaws of patients who were born with, or had injuries that put, their jaws out of alignment. “The surgery creates a better bite, so patients can eat more easily,” he said. “Visually, it creates better facial harmony. It is both a cosmetic and functional procedure.”
Ferguson is involved with the Children’s Hospital cranial-facial team, providing these services to younger patients. “It helps children look and feel more normal,” he noted.
Dental technology has been advancing considerably in recent years, meaning that treatments that were standard just a few years ago have been replaced by newer and better approaches. This is exemplified by the most common procedure performed at Oral Surgery Services, dental implants.
“A dental implant is a man-made root replacement,” Ferguson explained. “In order to replace a tooth, we have to replace the root. We use a titanium implant that is well-accepted by the body.”
The first step is to extract the tooth that has gone bad, which is followed by a bone graft on the site to stabilize the jaw area. After this heals, the implant is inserted. Once the implant is in place, and the jaw and gums have healed from this step, patients go to their regular dentist for a custom crown, the technology for which has also improved greatly. With all these advances, implants have superseded bridges as the preferred approach to tooth replacement.
“A bridge fills a space between two healthy teeth, but you have to cut into a natural, healthy tooth to make that connection,” Ferguson elaborated. “This leaves a three-tooth problem, while an implant leaves it as a one-tooth problem. Implants have greater than a 95 percent success rate – that’s phenomenal.”
Dental implants last longer than bridges, which is another reason Ferguson is now placing several hundred of them every year. Even though they cost more up front, their durability makes them a better value. Ferguson noted that more insurance companies are starting to cover implants, though patients should check with their insurers before proceeding.
Oral Surgery Services was originally founded in Gretna in 1996, by Smith and Dr. Pete Walters. The practice now has a Metairie office as well. Ferguson joined the team in 2007, returning to the area after being forced by Hurricane Katrina to relocate to Lafayette. To him, the work he and his colleagues perform is vital for their patients on several levels.
“Most people come to our practice for dental implants and reconstruction, which are dental health issues,” he said, “but we are really restoring confidence by restoring smiles.”
The stereotypical image of a dentist with a giant drill leaning in on a terrified patient is still a popular cartoon theme; but it is thoroughly outdated and likely contributes to patients procrastinating about oral medical services more frequently than virtually any other type of medical care. But like any other problem, avoidance only makes things worse.
“If you have dental issues, please seek treatment,” Ferguson counseled. “We do life-changing procedures.”
