Oral Surgery in St. George, UT

Oral Surgery in St. George, UT

Some procedures go a step beyond a filling or a cleaning, things like removing a tooth that can't be saved, placing a dental implant, rebuilding bone or gum tissue, freeing a tight tongue-tie, or taking a biopsy of something that doesn't look right. Dr. Plumb, Dr. Woodbury, and the team at Plumb Dental handle all of it right here in our St. George office, with sedation available so you stay comfortable throughout.

If you've put off a procedure because the word "surgery" makes you uneasy, you're in good company, and we won't make you feel bad about the wait. Call us at (435) 673-9606 and we'll talk it through first.

Quick Takeaways

• Most oral surgery here is same-day and outpatient. You come in, we take care of it, and you go home to rest.
• Your comfort is something we plan for, not figure out on the fly. We offer local anesthetic, oral conscious sedation, and IV sedation, and Dr. Plumb has advanced training in sedation and surgical tissue procedures.
• Think about what fills the space once a tooth is gone. If a tooth is coming out, talk about what replaces it (an implant, a bridge, a denture, or nothing at all) before the extraction, not months later.
• Sedation means skipping food beforehand and bringing a driver. We'll tell you exactly how long and exactly when.
• The first step is an exam with imaging, not a procedure. You'll leave knowing the plan and the cost before you commit.

How Oral Surgery Works at Plumb Dental

1. The consultation and imaging

We look, we measure, and we take X-rays or scans so we can see the roots, the bone, the nerves, and the sinuses. That imaging is what turns a guess into a plan. You'll see the same pictures we're looking at, and we'll walk you through what they show in plain language. If you've never been in, our new patient page walks you through that first visit.

2. The plan and the comfort conversation

We lay out the options, including doing nothing for now, and what each one means for your health down the road. This is also where we talk through your comfort options. Some people are perfectly happy with local anesthetic and a podcast. Others want to be sedated and remember none of it. Both are fine, and neither one earns you a lecture. If sleeping through it sounds better, read more about sedation dentistry before your appointment.

3. The procedure day

You'll be numb before we begin, and if you're sedated, the appointment will feel much shorter than it was. Depending on what's being done, we may place stitches, a graft, or a temporary cover for the tooth before you leave.

4. Recovery and follow-up

You go home with written instructions, a plan for managing soreness, and a number to call if something feels off. We'll usually see you back to check healing, and if the surgery was a step toward a final crown or a denture, we'll schedule that next appointment then.

What Oral Surgery Can Do for You

• Ends chronic pain and infection. A cracked root or an abscessed tooth doesn't quiet down on its own. Removing the source of infection lets the area heal. If the pain showed up suddenly, call us at (435) 673-9606 and we'll get you seen as quickly as possible.
• Protects the teeth next door. Impacted wisdom teeth push on their neighbors and trap bacteria where a toothbrush can't reach. Getting them out early is easier on you than waiting until things get worse.
• Keeps your jawbone from shrinking. Bone fades where a tooth used to be. Grafting and implant placement give it a reason to stay.
• You get to stop scanning the menu for what's safe. Dental implants, implant-supported dentures, and All-on-Four bring back real chewing.
• If something in your mouth doesn't look right, get an answer. Facial and oral pathology work means we find out what it is and take care of it.
• Gum grafting, bone and sinus grafting, and gum contouring build the stable foundation that makes a good result last, and they're often the first step toward cosmetic dentistry down the road.

Who Oral Surgery Is Right For

You're likely a good candidate if you have:

• A tooth that decay or a crack has pushed past the point of repair
• Wisdom teeth that are stuck, impacted, or crowding neighboring teeth
• Gum disease that has already caused bone or tissue loss
• Missing teeth you want replaced with dental implants
• A jawbone that has thinned where teeth used to be
• A spot in your mouth that needs to be identified

Some situations call for a slower path. Uncontrolled diabetes, certain blood thinners, some bone-density medications, active smoking, and recent heart events all affect how tissue heals. None of those are automatic disqualifiers. They're reasons we ask about your full medical history and sometimes loop in your physician first. If the thought of any of it makes you anxious, learn more about your sedation options.

And if a tooth can be saved with a root canal and a crown instead of being removed, we'd rather save it. Not sure which applies to you? That's exactly what the consultation is for.

Timeline and What to Expect

• Consultation visit: usually under an hour, including imaging and the treatment plan discussion. You can schedule that first visit whenever it works for you.
• Surgery appointment: a straightforward extraction can take well under an hour. Multiple wisdom teeth, implant placement, or grafting run longer, and we'll give you a realistic time when we schedule.
• First 48 to 72 hours: expect some swelling. Most people take a day or two off from anything strenuous and feel noticeably better by day three.
• One to two weeks: the gum tissue closes over, stitches dissolve or come out, and most patients are back to normal eating.
• Three to six months: the range for bone to bond around an implant or fill in around a graft before the final restoration is placed. Bone work can't be rushed, and if the idea of a longer procedure gives you pause, sedation is worth discussing at your consultation.

Preparing Beforehand and Healing Afterward

Before your procedure

Bring a current list of your medications and supplements, including anything over the counter. If you're having sedation, follow the fasting instructions we give you and arrange a ride for both ways. Wear something comfortable with short sleeves, and fill any prescriptions ahead of time so you're not stopping at the pharmacy on the way home.

After your procedure

Keep gauze in place with steady pressure for as long as we tell you, and let the blood clot do its job. Ice on and off for the first day does more to control swelling than anything else you can do. Stick to soft, cool foods at first. Skip straws, smoking, spitting, and vigorous rinsing for a few days, because the suction and pressure can dislodge the clot and leave you with a dry socket, which is exactly as unpleasant as it sounds. Start gentle salt-water rinses when we give the go-ahead, keep brushing the rest of your mouth, and rest more than you think you need to. If bleeding won't stop, swelling gets worse after day three, or pain climbs instead of easing, call us and we'll tell you what to do, including after hours.

Cost and Payment

The cost varies because no two cases are the same. What you pay depends on which tooth or teeth are involved, whether the tooth is impacted, whether grafting is needed, the type of sedation you choose, and whether a replacement like a dental implant is part of the same plan. We give you the numbers at your consultation, in writing, before anything is scheduled.

We're a fee-for-service practice, and we bill insurance as a courtesy for patients who have it. If cost is what's holding you back, just say so. There's often a way to break it into steps so the urgent part happens now and the rest follows on a schedule that works for your budget. We'll walk you through the numbers before you commit to anything.

Why Patients Across Washington County Choose Us

Dr. Plumb earned his DDS at SUNY Buffalo and has advanced training in hard and soft tissue surgery, implantology, and sedation, which is why so much of this work stays in our office instead of getting referred across town. Dr. Woodbury grew up watching his father practice dentistry, graduated from Creighton, and genuinely enjoys learning and using the latest techniques. He's also fluent in Spanish. You can read more about both of them on our doctors page.

We're at 427 West 100 South in St. George. What we hear most from patients is that the office feels calm and that nobody talks down to them. That's on purpose. We just want you to leave healthier than you came in, and confident enough to send your family here too.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will oral surgery hurt?

Not during the procedure. You'll be completely numb, and with oral conscious sedation or IV sedation, most patients don't remember much of the appointment at all. Afterward, expect some soreness and swelling rather than sharp pain, and over-the-counter medication usually handles it well. If you need something stronger, we'll prescribe it.

Do I have to be sedated?

Not at all. Plenty of people get through extractions and implant placement just fine with a local anesthetic. Sedation is there if you're anxious, if you have a hard time getting numb, if you have a strong gag reflex, or if the procedure is a longer one.

How long until I can go back to work?

For a single straightforward extraction, often the next day. For wisdom teeth, implants, or grafting, plan on two or three days, and more if your job is physical. Heavy lifting and hard workouts raise your blood pressure and can restart bleeding, so hold off on those for a full week.

What is dry socket, and how do I avoid it?

After an extraction, a blood clot forms in the socket and protects the bone underneath while everything heals. If that clot gets dislodged, the exposed bone aches deeply, and the pain usually shows up three to five days after surgery rather than right away. Following the aftercare instructions we send home with you is the best way to prevent it. If it happens anyway, we can treat the socket and get you comfortable within a day.

Do you take out wisdom teeth here, or do I get referred out?

We do wisdom teeth removal right here in our office, including impacted teeth, with sedation available. Same goes for implants, bone and sinus grafting, gum grafting, and frenectomies. Staying with the team you already know makes the whole experience a lot less stressful.

Should the tooth be pulled, or can it be saved?

It depends on how much healthy tooth structure is left and how much bone is still supporting it. If a root canal and crown can give you a tooth that holds up long-term, that's what we'll recommend. Extraction is the call when keeping the tooth would mean investing in something that isn't going to last.

Let's Talk About What You're Dealing With

Whether it's a wisdom tooth that has been bothering you since spring, a molar that finally cracked, or a spot in your mouth you've been quietly worrying about, the next step is just a conversation and a look. An exam, a picture of what's going on underneath, and a straight answer. Nothing gets scheduled that day unless you want it scheduled.

Call Plumb Dental at (435) 673-9606. Feel free to learn about Dr. Plumb and Dr. Woodbury and browse the services we offer before you come in. If it's been years since your last visit, come in anyway. We'll be glad to see you, and no one here is going to judge.