Oral surgery you can actually rest through
Every procedure done by an oral & maxillofacial surgeon. IV sedation and general anesthesia on-site, so you're comfortable from start to finish.
What oral and maxillofacial surgery actually covers
Oral and maxillofacial surgery is the specialty that handles the problems in your mouth and jaw that sit past the edge of routine dental work. The common ones are wisdom teeth that are impacted under bone or angled into the tooth in front of them, teeth that have broken below the gumline or are too decayed to save, and bone grafting to rebuild a jaw ridge so a dental implant has something solid to anchor into. Surgeons also treat oral infections, cysts and facial injuries.
An oral and maxillofacial surgeon spends four or more years in hospital-based residency after dental school, including formal anesthesia training. Both of our surgeons, Dr. Rosenstein and Dr. Watkins, are board-certified. That training matters most in the cases that are not textbook: a lower wisdom tooth sitting against the nerve canal, a root that fractures during removal, a graft site that has been empty long enough for the bone to thin out. Those are the cases general dentists refer out, and they are routine work here.
Your consultation, and the scan that plans the surgery
Nothing gets scheduled off a guess. Your first visit is a consultation, and it includes a CBCT 3D scan, which shows the tooth or the graft site in three dimensions instead of the flat view a standard x-ray gives. On a lower wisdom tooth, that scan tells us exactly where the roots sit in relation to the nerve canal, and that changes how the surgeon approaches it. For grafting and implant planning, it shows how much bone height and width you actually have to work with.
We also go through your medical history, your current medications, including blood thinners and bone density drugs, and anything that affects healing, such as poorly controlled diabetes or past radiation to the head and neck. You leave with a written plan and a written quote, not a verbal estimate. If you are in pain right now, we hold same-day emergency slots on weekdays, and we are open Saturday 9am to 3pm.
Sedation choices and how to prepare for them
Most people worry more about the anesthesia than the surgery itself. A straightforward extraction can be done with local anesthetic alone, where the area is fully numb, you stay awake, and you can drive yourself home afterward. IV sedation, from $450, puts you into a deeply relaxed twilight state where you are unaware of the procedure and typically remember little or none of it. General anesthesia is available on-site for longer or more involved cases, and for patients whose anxiety makes anything lighter impractical.
Because our surgeons are anesthesia-trained and this is done in our own surgical suite, you are not sent to a hospital or a separate facility for sedation. If you choose IV sedation or general anesthesia, you will get fasting instructions to follow the night before, you will need an adult to drive you home, and you should plan to have someone with you for the rest of that day. Tell us about every medication and supplement you take, including anything for anxiety or sleep.
The first week afterward
Plan for a quiet first day. You will bite on gauze until the bleeding settles, use ice on the outside of your face in twenty minute stretches, and eat cool, soft food. Swelling usually peaks around day two or three and then starts down, so feeling puffier on Tuesday than you did Monday is normal rather than a setback.
The rules that matter most early on are the boring ones. No straws, no smoking or vaping, no vigorous rinsing or spitting, because the suction can dislodge the clot protecting the socket. Sleep with your head propped up. Start gentle warm salt water rinses when we tell you to, not before. Take pain medication on the schedule we give you rather than waiting until it hurts.
Call us if pain gets worse instead of better after day three or four, if you run a fever, if swelling keeps climbing, or if numbness is not fading. We would much rather take a look than have you wait it out.
What it costs, and the ways people pay for it
Our starting prices are $250 for a tooth extraction, $400 per tooth for wisdom teeth removal, $600 for bone grafting and $450 for IV sedation. Where your case lands depends on what is actually there. A fully erupted tooth with simple roots is not the same job as a horizontally impacted lower wisdom tooth under bone, and we will tell you which one you have after the scan, in writing, before anything is booked.
We verify your insurance benefits at no charge and show you the estimated insured portion next to the full fee, so you are looking at your real out-of-pocket number rather than a list price. For the balance, we work with Cherry, Affirm and Sunbit, which offer monthly payment plans. We also run an in-house membership plan for patients without dental insurance. Ask our front desk to walk you through the options before you decide, not after.
Treatments & pricing
Wisdom teeth removal
All four wisdom teeth, under IV sedation, in one visit. Most patients return to normal activity in 3-5 days.
Bone grafting
Restore bone volume before implants. Ridge augmentation, sinus lifts, socket preservation.
Tooth extraction
Simple and surgical extractions. Same-day extractions available for emergencies.
IV sedation
Twilight sedation administered by dental anesthesiologist. You won't remember the procedure.
Prices are estimates for self-pay patients before insurance. Insurance reduces costs significantly. Financing available - most patients qualify in minutes via Cherry or Sunbit.
The specialists who handle this work
Frequently asked
How much does wisdom teeth removal cost in Houston?
Most patients pay $1,200-1,800 for all four wisdom teeth under IV sedation. Insurance often covers a portion. Free 3D CBCT scan included at consultation to assess root proximity to nerves.
Will I be asleep during the procedure?
IV sedation is the most common choice - you're in a deep relaxation state and won't remember the procedure. General anesthesia is available for complex cases. Both administered on-site by a dental anesthesiologist.
How long is recovery from wisdom teeth removal?
Most patients return to normal activity in 3-5 days. The first 48 hours involve swelling and minor discomfort - soft foods, ice packs, and the pain meds we prescribe. Stitches dissolve on their own.
What is bone grafting and do I need it for implants?
Bone grafting restores bone volume in the jaw where teeth have been missing for years. About 40% of implant patients need some form of grafting. We assess via 3D CBCT at the consultation - it's not a surprise expense.
Are you in-network with my insurance?
We're in-network with most major PPO plans (Delta Dental, Cigna, Aetna, MetLife, BCBS, Guardian, Humana, UnitedHealthcare, and more). We verify benefits before treatment so there are no billing surprises.
Related specialties
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Book a consultation. We'll walk you through your options, your costs, and your timeline - no pressure.