Oral surgeon specializes in patient comfort

When it comes to finding a highly regarded oral and board-certified maxillofacial surgeon, Brian Smith, DDS possesses the adeptness one can take comfort in.

With more than 30 years of experience, Smith specializes in providing surgical treatment where patients never have to feel any type of physical uneasiness.

“Oral surgery has come a long way and it can be done without pain,” said Smith. “I went into oral surgery because I wanted to have complete control over doing things without causing a patient any discomfort.”

His general anesthetic license from the State of California enables Smith to help patients in cases where local anesthetic may not provide enough relief.

Although Smith’s practice covers different specialties, he routinely performs the removal of teeth, installation of dental implants and biopsies in his Bonsall office.

In this day and age, Smith said, the removal of a tooth, especially a wisdom tooth, has been made easier for the patient.

“There is new instrumentation available where we are able to get teeth out without removing hardly any bone,” he explained. “Patients heal very quickly now, and most patients who have had a wisdom tooth removed are able to go back to school or work the very next day.”

Medication to reduce inflammation has been a tremendous asset in the healing process, he added.

Smith said periodontal (gum) disease accounts for more than half of the teeth that his patients have lost.

Periodontal disease accelerates the loss of bone structure that supports teeth. “So essentially, people may lose their teeth if they do not have good oral hygiene and do not see a dentist on a regular basis to have their teeth professionally cleaned.”

Growing in popularity are dental implants.

Smith said dental implants are a great solution for those who want to regain their ability to chew their food properly and have a great smile.

As opposed to dentures, he said, dental implants can promote a healthy jawbone structure so it does not “melt away.”

When Smith finished his education at UCLA Dental School, he had no idea he would move into the specialty of oral surgery. That was, until he practiced two years of general dentistry on an Indian reservation in Rosebud, SD.

“If we couldn’t fix the dental issue on the reservation, then we were the ambulance service, taking the patient to an oral surgeon,” said Smith. “We would assist in the procedure and that’s where I got my introduction into oral surgery and really liked it.”

It was this newfound interest that led Smith to oral surgery training at the University Medical Center, formally known as Valley Medical Center, in Fresno.

Smith is now at a stage in his career where he works three days per week at his personalized and friendly practice.

“We don’t rush people; our whole goal is to give patients a good experience,” he said.

Smith said his patients are both delighted and overwhelmed when he calls them the night after oral surgery.

“Time and time again I am told that a doctor has never called them after surgery to see how they are doing,” he said, “but we care enough to call them.”

To contact Smith regarding an exam or procedure, or to receive a second opinion, call (760) 630-6494. His office is located in River Village at 5256 South Mission Road, Suite 1103, Bonsall.

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