This was the best dental experience of my life!!! After putting off getting my wisdom teeth pulled for over a year, out of fear of oral surgeons and the horror stories I was told, I took the plunge and went to Dr. Koos and his team! First off, the office is INCREDIBLE and feels like a day spa! Tia at the front desk was AMAZING being both helpful with my questions and going above and beyond to make me comfortable and feel safe. She is the epitome of customer service and professionalism! The operating room was also amazing( the entire ceiling is a video screen) with them playing my choice of music and the staff joking and helping ease my fears as they put me out. Dr. Koos is very knowledgeable and walks you through every step he is going to take before the surgery making you feel comfortable with what he is going to do and answering any questions you might have. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this establishment and will be returning for any other dental work I need done!!!
I can’t say enough about Dr. Koos and everyone at ORA Oral Surgery and Implant Studio. I’ve been a patient of Dr. Koos’ for the past two years having gone through a tooth extraction and bone graft which was then followed up with an dental implant and crown. Throughout my treatment, Dr. Koos and his staff were awesome. I never had oral surgery before and was a bit concerned about the whole process and being sedated. Dr. Koos walked me through everything step by step and spent a ton of time discussing all the details with me to make sure that I was comfortable with everything going on. I have to say that the treatment and care that I received from Dr. Koos and his staff was excellent. After each stage of treatment I had no issues with pain and had a quick and easy recovery. On top of it the work looks great and no one can tell that its not my real tooth. I highly recommend Dr. Koos and ORA Oral Surgery & Implant Studio to anyone looking for an oral surgery. You won’t be sorry. Elanor
I just had all of my wisdom teeth extracted. Dr. Koos’ bedside manner turned what I was expecting to be a very scary and painful experience into a calming & relatively low-pain experience. He has a very calming nature that just made me feel comfortable and confident that the surgery would be fine – and it was.
The studio itself is clean & relaxing – it almost felt like I was at a spa instead of a dental studio! I can’t recommend this place enough!
I had all 4 wisdom teeth taken out by Dr Koos. It was a quick procedure (actually with the anesthesia seemed instantaneous to me), and he gave us clear instructions when we left. As others reviews mentioned,he also called back later that day to check in and answer questions. Although I did have some issues during the recovery (a minor infection), Dr Koos and team were very responsive and genuinely interested in getting me back on my feet as soon as possible. I’m also impressed that they take their environmental responsibility and commitments seriously. Overall would definitely choose them again.
Dental abscesses can lead to a host of complications, ranging from simple inflammation of the oral cavity to fatal systemic infections. If an abscess progresses far enough, Chicago patients may need much more that just a tooth extraction to prevent the bacteria from traveling throughout the body.
These bigger problems can arise when the bacteria found in the abscess of the dental pulp or root have the opportunity to escape the confines of the tooth and jaw bone and spread elsewhere.
Therefore, patients should be aware of the early signs and symptoms of dental abscesses, such as severe tooth pain and bad breath, so that they can visit an oral surgeon in Downtown Chicago for a timely intervention.
In addition to the common localized pain and swelling that accompanies a dental abscess, a more rare complication of a tooth abscess can occur called a cavernous sinus thrombosis (CST). This is just one example of another serious issue that can arise from a dental abscess.
The cavernous sinuses are cavities located at the base of the skull. A cavernous sinus thrombosis is usually a complication of an infection of the central face, paranasal sinuses, bacteremia, trauma, and infections of the ear or maxillary (upper) teeth. A CST is generally a sudden and severe process with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Yes, once again, as with Ludwig’s angina and mediastinitis, you can die from a tooth abscess that leads to a CST!
The cavernous sinuses receive blood from a web of veins that contain no valves, therefore blood can flow in any direction depending on the prevailing pressure gradients. Since the cavernous sinuses receive blood via this distribution, infections of the upper teeth and face can spread easily via the facial vein into this complex of veins. The infection causes an inflammatory thrombotic reaction in the vasculature and cavernous sinus cavities leading to a host of severe symptoms.
Symptoms of the condition include bulging eyes, drooping eyelids, headache, and immobility of the eye, among related problems. Patients with cavernous sinus thrombosis are also likely to develop acute headaches early on. Signs of sepsis are an indication of severe progression.
Typically, death is due to sepsis or central nervous system infection. With aggressive management, the mortality rate is now less than 30%. Morbidity, however, remains high, and complete recovery is rare, even with early intervention. Roughly one sixth of patients are left with some degree of visual impairment, and one half have cranial nerve deficits.
Patients who develop cavernous sinus thrombosis face hospital admission and a prolonged regimen of strong IV antibiotics to eradicate the infection. That course of medication may be delivered for several weeks.
In many cases of dental abscesses, a tooth extraction can help patients prevent negative outcomes like a cavernous sinus thrombosis. If a dental abscess is treated early, before the bacteria have a chance to spread to nearby structures, the bacteria can be contained and removed from the mouth.
It’s important to recognize the signals that may indicate a tooth abscess. If you feel that you may have a dental abscess, consult with our oral surgeon serving Chicago IL and the surrounding Chicago-land suburbs to get a confirmed diagnosis and to begin planning for treatment.
DR. STEVE IS TALL AND VERY VERY SEXY. Now that I’ve gotten that out of my system, on to the actual review of the services I received.
I went here for a consultation recently and didn’t have to sit for long, maybe 10 minutes if that. I went over to the 360 X-ray machine and got my X-rays done, then sat in the chair in the office waiting for the doctor. The chairs are very comfortable and I really appreciate being able to watch TV and control the channels! How many other people can say they found out he was NOT the baby daddy while trying to figure out what was wrong with their teeth? Not very many. Dr. Steve Koos walks in and introduces himself, and I realize that my goal of not having a really hot guy look at my f***** up teeth is not reasonable and is not going to happen. We go over my X-rays, he on the computer and me on the TV screen and he explains EVERYTHING. He is the most thorough dentist I’ve ever had and he actually talked to me like I was a human being with feelings.I made it clear to him that I had horrible anxiety about the dentist and that nothing could be done without me being knocked out and he did an awesome job of alleviating my fears. He completely understood and didn’t make me feel stupid. I had no questions after he spoke with me and he did a great job of re-explaining the various processes and issues to my mother who controls all the money.
The woman who explained the prices,co-pay and insurance stuff whose name I unfortunately do not remember was thorough and didn’t do anything shady which I also appreciate. We were able to get an appointment for a tooth extraction the next day!
I show up for my appointment and I wait in the lounge area for maybe 5 minutes then go straight back to the operating room. Every single thing the dentist(Dr. Steve Koos and who I am assuming was his assistant) did was explained in detail to me. He played some Drake while we waited for the laughing gas to kick in and the next thing I know I’m being woken up to go home.
It is also worth noting that he called my mom the night of the surgery or the night after and told her if we had any questions we could call his personal number! It’s so nice having a dentist who actually gives a damn I don’t know what to do with myself. Best dental experience ever.
Not only does a dental abscess—a severe infection located beyond a tooth’s root or between the gums and the teeth—cause pain in a patient’s mouth, the condition can also lead to broader systemic problems throughout the body.
If the dental abscess is not treated, the bacteria from the infection can spread via the bloodstream to other parts of the body. Fortunately, a tooth extraction can protect Chicago patients from such an outcome.
An oral surgeon may also recommend treating an abscess by making an incision, or several incisions in the gum, soft tissue, and muscles of the face and neck to allow the abscess to drain.
Certain complications can arise if an abscess is not treated in a timely fashion, and two of those are bacteremia and septicemia.
Bacteremia is the introduction of bacteria into the blood. The blood is typically a sterile environment, so it is problematic if bacteria from the abscess enters the bloodstream because it can have distant effects. Signs of bacteremia could be slight fever, nausea and distal infection.
Rarely, bacteremia may resolve on its own. It also may progress into septicemia, a more serious blood infection that is always accompanied by symptoms such as chills, high fever, rapid heartbeat, severe nausea, vomiting and confusion. These symptoms indicate a more widespread inflammatory response by the immune system to the microbes in the blood, tissue, gums, or bone from a tooth abscess. A lay term for sepsis is blood poisoning, also used to describe septicemia.
If the septicemia is not controlled, sepsis, which is often fatal, comes next. Severe sepsis is the systemic inflammatory response, plus infection, plus the presence of organ dysfunction. Sepsis causes shock and organ failure, ultimately resulting in a patient’s death. It is very difficult to reverse sepsis after it has begun its course.
Fortunately, bacteremia and septicemia can be prevented if a tooth abscess is treated quickly. Patients should not wait for the abscess to rupture on its own or become worse. Some abscesses can remain pain free and be in a chronic state, but a patient is equally at risk for bacteremia and septicemia from a chronic infection too. Any dental infection in Chicago needs the prompt response of our oral and maxillofacial surgeon, which will reduce the likelihood of complications like bacteremia and septicemia.
Additional signals like fever, swollen lymph nodes and extreme tooth sensitivity can all indicate that an average toothache is evolving into something more serious.
If you’ve been plagued by an enduring toothache accompanied by the other symptoms of abscess, schedule an evaluation with our dual-degree oral surgeons at ORA® Oral Surgery & Implant Studio in Chicago to determine if you have an abscess that requires an intervention. Call 312-328-9000 for your appointment.
A tooth abscess is a serious infection that targets one of the oral structures, most often the jawbone or the roots of the teeth. Beginning as a minor infection or even a mere cavity, a tooth abscess can evolve into a major problem, complete with toothache, draining purulence (pus), and a number of other unpleasant symptoms, usually necessitating a trip to the oral surgeon. Tooth abscesses can even lead to severe neurologic infections of the brain as well as death due to sepsis and airway blockage.
Although cavities are quite treatable when addressed in early stages, they serve as a haven for potentially harmful bacteria when they are not cleaned and filled. Those bacteria can collect along the surface of the tooth and eventually reach the soft pulp of the inner tooth, where they may do even more damage and infiltrate other oral tissues. You may also develop an abscess when a dental injury cracks a tooth, giving bacteria easy access to the pulp.
When you have any outward swelling to the gingiva (gum) or the face, this is an indication that the infection has spread from the tooth to within the marrow of the bone, and then through the hard outer cortex of the bone and into surrounding soft tissues.
As an abscess gets larger, Chicago patients are more likely to need a tooth extraction to resolve the issue as well as a bone graft due to the aggressive bone resorption that tends to occur due to the bacterial inflammatory process. Alternatively, the abscess may need to also be drained, and in some cases from multiple sites. However, if you seek treatment in a timely fashion, you may be able to avoid such dramatic interventions.
With some abscesses, acute pain can be absent and the condition can be chronic. Because there is no pain associated with these chronic abscesses, sometimes patients delay treatment or do not even seek any treatment at all. Unfortunately, chronic infection in the mouth has distant and harmful systemic effects on other organs like the heart and kidneys. It can increase the incidence of stroke, diabetes, myocardial infarctions, and peripheral vascular disease.
Be on the lookout for abscess symptoms such as noticeable drainage or swelling, tender gums or extreme sensitivity. Fever or chills may indicate that the infection has progressed to other areas of the body. If an abscess continues to advance, continued swelling may ultimately compromise your airway which is a medical emergency and requires immediate intervention in the emergency room.
As soon as you notice symptoms and suspect you have a dental abscess, you should visit a Chicago oral surgeon immediately to get a conclusive diagnosis. It’s best to have some form of early treatment to avoid further complications, and prevent life-threatening circumstances.
You can also take steps in your daily routine to reduce your risk of developing a tooth abscess. Dedicated brushing and flossing not only help to prevent cavities but also the abscesses that can develop as a result of these cavities later.
A tooth abscess is a serious matter. Stop it in its tracks before it progresses into a systemic condition.
A Chicago patient’s tooth extraction may be necessary for any number of reasons. A patient in perpetual pain may request a tooth extraction as a solution. Advanced decay or a significant abscess may have rendered a tooth unsalvageable. A tooth may need to be extracted if there’s no room in the jaw to accommodate it, as is the case with wisdom teeth or an impacted adult tooth. Teeth may also need to be removed as part of orthodontic treatment to reduce crowding.
In some cases, a tooth extraction can be a simple straightforward procedure that should really be performed by a dual degree oral maxillofacial surgeon just in case of troubles or complications. For simple tooth extractions in Chicago, patients must have a sufficient amount of the crown’s structure for this oral surgeon to be able to grasp the crown with forceps and remove it from the bone. This type of tooth extraction can be performed in this expert oral surgeon’s Chicago office, using local anesthesia or with nitrous oxide in addition.
An experienced dual degree oral surgeon needs to be involved in more complex cases of tooth extractions. A more extensive procedure is required when little of the crown remains or if the tooth is impacted—as wisdom teeth often are—and never erupted to begin with. Oral surgeons must get at the tooth’s root in a different, more direct fashion in complex extractions. The oral surgeon often needs to cut into the gums or carefully drill into the jawbone to get better access to the tooth’s root.
Wisdom teeth removal and other complex extractions take a longer time, and patients prefer to choose sedation dentistry in addition to the local anesthesia for superior comfort.
To make any type of tooth extraction go more smoothly, patients should plan to have an escort accompany them home from the appointment and have some sort of adjunctive sedation. Post-extraction patients will be in no shape to drive themselves home after the procedure. Patients should also give the surgeon a complete list of their medications, as some medications can affect the healing process or increase the chances of prolonged bleeding. If undergoing general anesthesia, patients will need to fast at least 8 hours prior to the appointment.
A decaying or abscessed tooth can have wide-reaching negative effects on your health, so you should consider extraction if your natural tooth cannot be saved. Call ORA® Oral Surgery & Implant Studio
at 312.328.9000 and schedule your consultation to develop a plan for comfortable tooth extraction and an uneventful recovery.
I have been to ORA twice, once to have my wisdom teeth extracted and yesterday to have a molar extracted. Both procedures were done by Dr Koos. He is excellent! The first time I was put to sleep but the last time I was awake. I was a little worried about the last one but Dr. Koos explained what he was doing the entire time so it wasn’t bad at all! With both extractions I had minimal pain and no swelling. He and his staff are very good with explaining the aftercare and he calls to make sure you aren’t having any issues. I highly recommend Dr Koos.
