Unfortunately, no matter how skillful or experienced an oral surgeon might be, procedures like removing impacted wisdom teeth, receiving dental implants or getting implant supported dentures, having surgery to correct sleep apnea or TMJ always involve some level of risk.

Some of the complications that could result from removing an impacted wisdom tooth include an allergic reaction to the anaesthesia, serious sinus infections that require surgery to correct, temporary numbness or permanent nerve damage, dry sockets, and damage to adjacent teeth.

Again, each of these complications are only possibilities. The chances of them occurring are very small, but nonetheless, the chances do occur.

As a result, it's absolutely critical that you as a patient are aware of these possibilities and that you know that your oral surgeon of choice is prepared to deal with these unforeseen emergencies.

One of the ways your oral surgeon can and should be prepared to handle these potential complications is by being on staff at a local hospital. While the vast majority of oral surgery procedures will take place at your doctor's office, it's still important that your oral surgeon have hospital privileges so they can have access to a hospital should the need arise.

How exactly does this affect you?

If you should happen to be one small percentage of patients that has to deal with an unforeseen complication and your doctor determines that you need hospitalization in order to properly handle the situation, without hospital privileges at a local hospital your oral surgeon won't be able to provide treatment. You'll be forced to find another oral surgeon that can provide treatment for the complication.

Now, finding another doctor that can provide adequate treatment should not be an issue, but anytime a change in doctors is required, information must be passed along, a new diagnosis must be made by your new attending doctor, and a new course of action must be prescribed, all of which takes time.

As a patient, the last thing you want to have to worry about is trying to find a new doctor amidst all the chaos of an emergency. Wouldn't you rather have the peace of mind going into a procedure that no matter how small the chance of a complication that requires hospitalization might be, that your doctor is prepared to handle any possible scenario?

Again, the chances of this type of complication occurring is very small, but as with all medical procedures, there is a chance and as with anything, the best defense is a good offense and choosing an oral surgeon that has hospital privileges certainly falls under that category.