There are some differences between oral surgeons and general dentists. The procedure that general dentists perform will not include oral surgery. The educational differences between the two for surgery and the needs that you have for your teeth.
A general dentist will have some exposure to some of the more delicate medications that are used for dental procedures, but they cannot assist a patient beyond the standard practices of cleaning and doing maintenance. Anything that extends beyond that will need to be done by an oral surgeon. This is where some patients have issues and are concerned as to why their health is not where it needs to be after consulting with a dentist.
Oral surgeons have undergone a board-certified training program, where they have experience working with surgery, and anesthesia, and actually spent time working in a hospital facility. Oral surgery should be treated like any other surgery procedure, especially if you will be using anesthesia for the process and being prescribed narcotics for pain following the surgery. Any major treatment or oral surgery that is needed should always be consulted first with an oral surgeon and then have the process scheduled and performed by that same doctor at their facility.
