Frequently Asked Questions
There’s no such thing as a stupid question. We’re here to help! At Dr. Louie’s, we understand that you may have questions and/or concerns about your specific case. That’s why were please to offer these frequently asked questions, to help better inform you and put you at ease. If you can’t find the answer your looking for here, please don’t hesitate to contact us!
“What is Oral and Maxillo-Facial surgery?”
It is the surgical specialty that specializes in the surgical and medical treatment of many diseases, injuries and defects in the head, neck, face, jaws and the hard and soft tissues of the oral (mouth) and maxillofacial (jaws and face) region. It is an internationally recognized surgical specialty. Dr. Louie practices the full scope of oral maxillofacial surgery from the simplest surgical removal of impacted teeth to the more complex facial reconstructive surgical procedures treating patients with congenital and traumatic deformities.
“Do I need a referral from my doctor or dentist to be seen at your clinic? “
Not necessarily. Although we are a specialty practice, we welcome you to our practice to be evaluated for any oral surgery or facial problems you may be experiencing. After your consultation and diagnosis, if your problem is best treated or managed by a general dentist or other dental or medical specialist, We will gladly facilitate your referral to a provider that can best meet your needs.
“Why do I need to have my impacted wisdom teeth removed? “
A tooth becomes impacted because there is a lack of space in the dental arch, causing the tooth to grow on an angle towards the other molars and their roots or toward the jaw. This impaction can cause a lot of pain for the individual and can also lead to a jaw infection and cause damage the adjacent teeth. As a person gets older who have impacted wisdom teeth, its only a matter of time when it will cause a problem. Research has shown that 85% of patients who have impacted wisdom will need to have them removed and the earlier they are done, when patients are teenagers, the less complicated they are and the recovery from surgery is easier when the patient is younger. Dr. Louie can go over all this information based on examining your wisdom teeth and give you the best advice as what is best for your situation.
“How do I know if I am a candidate for dental implant tooth replacement?”
Successful dental implant tooth replacement is based on several important factors. First, a complete oral examination is needed to evaluate that you are free from any gum disease and your mouth is healthy for dental implant tooth replacement. Second, a more detailed examination is needed. Dental molds are taken and a wax up of the tooth to be replaced is made. It is from this mold and the wax prototype that will be used to fabricate a guide that is used to evaluate the underlying bone with the help of a CT scan. A computerized virtual surgical treatment plan is performed with the CT Scan and can accurately determine if you have enough bone to have an implant surgically placed. With the use of this technology we can determine of you are an implant candidate and what the future outcome and success of the implant restoration will be.
“Can you make urgent and emergency same day surgery appointments?”
Absolutely, our office makes every effort to see patients who have an urgent or emergency need to be seen when an appointment is made. After we evaluate your condition in the clinic, we can usually perform the surgery on the same day if that is feasible. Sometimes the treatment needs to be delayed for medical reasons but we try our best to get you out of pain and make you comfortable when you see us for an emergency visit.
“How can I know if a surgical procedure is covered by my insurance?”
We are Delta Dental Premier and PPO providers and are able to bill several other dental and medical insurance plans. To make sure you get the most reimbursement and coverage for any surgical services that may be provided to you, as a patient you can help by providing our office with all your insurance information in advance of your appointment. In this way, we can disclose the best estimate of the cost and determine if your surgical procedure is a covered benefit. We would be very happy to help you navigate the insurance coverage maze. We will always provide you with the treatment estimate before we do any procedures to prevent any misunderstandings about billing and insurance coverage.