Our services

Edmonton Oral and Maxillofacial Surgical Centre

Groat Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery aims to provide effective and transparent patient management and surgical care. We collaborate with dentists, physicians, dental specialists, denturists, and other healthcare professionals to ensure quality surgical outcomes.  We provide a streamlined and efficient referral process, prioritizing patients to help them receive specialized service that best suits their healthcare needs.

  • Wisdom Teeth & Other Dental Extractions

    Dental extractions can be for single, multiple, erupted or impacted teeth including wisdom teeth. Our team will evaluate the position, function and vitality of the teeth in question through history and physical examination, in conjunction with radiographs. Though referral is not required, most patients are evaluated by their dentist or dental specialist first before being referred to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon for final assessment and treatment. All outpatient surgery is performed under appropriate anesthesia by a trained, licensed and experienced practitioner.

  • Dental Implants

    With innovations in modern dentistry, tooth loss does not have to affect your quality of life. Dental implants include single or multi-tooth restorations, providing patients with tooth replacement that feels and looks natural. Dental implants offer a number of health, functional and cosmetic benefits. We work with a number of trusted professionals and quality implant systems to achieve this goal for our patients.

  • Orthodontic Related Procedures

    Orthodontic related procedures include exposure of impacted teeth, placement of brackets, frenectomies, extraction of supernumerary teeth, as well as luxation and repositioning of impacted teeth to assist in tooth eruption. We provide care in conjunction with your orthodontist and their treatment plan.

  • Jaw Surgery

    Corrective jaw surgery is often done in conjunction with orthodontic treatment to improve occlusal and facial harmony. Making these corrections can improve your bite, making chewing easier, improving jaw function, speech, sleep apnea, and decrease traumatic occlusion. Jaw surgery is typically performed when the discrepancy between your upper and lower teeth is too significant to correct with braces alone. Our team will work closely with you and your orthodontist to select a treatment plan that is most beneficial for you.

  • Facial Trauma

    We are equipped to repair and treat facial trauma including but not limited to fractured facial bones (jaw, cheek, nose or orbital bone), facial lacerations, intra-oral lacerations, and replacing avulsed teeth that have been displaced or knocked out. These types of injuries are often treated with titanium plates or wires.

  • Bone Grafting

    Bone grafting is the placement of bone into an area that is deficient for further treatment. Bone can be either from a donor (allograft) or from the patient (autograft). The surgical procedure includes sinus and/or ridge augmentation and repair of bony defects in preparation for implant placement or overall stability of jaw and facial bones. Bone grafting is typically done under general anesthetic for patient safety.

  • Pre-Prosthetic Surgery

    Pre-prosthetic surgery are procedures that prepare the patient for fixed or removable prostheses. Examples of pre-prosthetic procedures include preparation and placement of implants for fixed or removable prostheses, bone smoothing and reshaping, removal of excess bone and removal of excess gum tissue.

  • Pathology

    We provide assessment and surgical management of tissue abnormalities in skin, oral mucosa and bone. The tissue is then sent for histopathological assessment by our Oral Pathology colleagues. Further management is then discussed once a formal diagnosis is made.

  • TMJ

    Pain and tenderness associated with your jaw may involve the temporomandibular joints and muscles of mastication. TMJ treatment varies from person to person and may entail non-surgical management including lifestyle modification, medication, therapeutic injectables, physical therapy, custom mouth guards and/or jaw surgery.

Frequently asked Questions

  • An oral and maxillofacial surgeon is a specialist that has completed additional training beyond dental school. Dr. Soparlo has completed his Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree as well as his Medical Degree (MD), Masters in Pathology (M.Sc), a 6-year Oral & Maxillofacial surgery residency and a post-residency surgical fellowship in orthognathic surgery and trauma. Dr. Soparlo is trained to treat patients with complex medical history, cases with increased complexity and those cases which go beyond the scope of general dentistry. We have strong rapport with our referring offices and work together to ensure that we can offer you quality care in a compassionate manner.

    Your dentist can refer you to an oral surgeon for any number of procedures, wisdom teeth and other dental extractions, dental implants, surgical procedures in preparation for orthodontic treatment, jaw surgery, facial trauma, bone grafting, pre-prosthetic surgery, pathology and TMJ.

  • Recovery time is dependent upon the procedure that you have undergone. For example, after a pathology procedure under local anesthetic you may be able to return to regular activities on the same day. With a wisdom tooth extraction, we typically recommend 1-3 days off of work or school after surgery. For larger and more complex surgeries, recovery will be longer in duration.

    You will receive specific information from the surgeon regarding recovery time and any dietary and lifestyle modifications at the time of your consultation. You will also be sent home with post-operative care instructions after your procedure. These will be reviewed with the recovery nurse before leaving the clinic. Please ensure that you follow the post-operative instructions carefully, as they are provided to ensure your safety and the best possible outcome.

  • To prepare for surgery under IV sedation or general anesthetic, it is essential that you DO NOT have anything to eat or drink (including water, mints and chewing gum) after 11:59 p.m. the night before your surgery appointment. We will advise you as to which medication, if any, should be taken on the morning of surgery. Please call our office with any questions about taking your medications.

    No smoking or vaping after 11:59 p.m. on the night before your surgery appointment.

    For all surgical interventions, we recommend that you avoid foods that break down into hard crunchy bits (chips, popcorn, nachos, pretzels, whole grain or crusty breads, seeds, nuts and raw veggies). These foods are easily lodged in the sockets, and are very difficult to rinse out, possibly causing an infection. Avoidance of these foods for a month is advised. We also recommend avoiding smoking, vaping, and use of straws for a minimum of 2 weeks following surgery to help prevent infection and a condition called dry socket.

  • To prepare for a surgery under IV sedation or general anesthetic, it is essential that you DO NOT have anything to eat or drink (including water, mints and chewing gum) after 11:59 p.m. the night before your surgery appointment. We will advise you as to which medication, if any, should be taken on the morning of surgery. Please call our office with any questions about taking your medications.

    No smoking or vaping after 11:59 p.m. on the night before your surgery appointment.

    Do not drink alcoholic beverages the day before surgery.

    Please wear a shirt with short sleeves to your appointment.

    You must have a responsible adult accompany you to the office and remain in the office during your surgical visit. You must not drive or travel home alone by bus or taxi. We will be unable to perform your surgery if a responsible adult does not accompany you to the office. You will also require a responsible adult to remain with you after surgery during your recovery period. *If the patient is a minor, we request that the individual’s parent or legal guardian be present.

    We recommend that you have Tylenol and Advil on hand, as well as a selection of soft foods for after surgery (apple sauce, yogurt, overcooked pasta).

  • At Groat Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery we make every effort to provide you with excellent surgical care and the most convenient financial options. Coverage amounts and procedures covered vary depending on your insurance plan. Our team will work closely with you to maximize your insurance reimbursement for covered procedures. Our office will accept preferred benefits from your dental plan when possible. This will require preauthorization of your proposed treatment with your insurance plan(s) in advance of your surgical procedure.

    For non-insurance covered procedures, we accept payment for services by Cash, Debit, Visa, Mastercard and American Express. Some procedures performed may be billable to Alberta Health Services. If your diagnosis and treatment requires such covered procedures, we will bill AHS for the care provided.

  • We offer IV sedation and general anesthesia under the supervision of a qualified anesthesiologist in our office. Some procedures may also be performed under local anesthetic, at the discretion of the oral surgeon and anesthesiologist.

    If you are nervous or anxious, we recommend that you book an appointment for a consultation on a separate day from your surgery appointment. This will allow you to familiarize yourself with the office and team, meet the surgeon and ask any questions that you have in advance.

    During your consultation, Dr. Soparlo will get to know your medical history, discuss your concerns and questions and provide you with a proposed treatment plan. We have received feedback from many anxious patients that they felt at ease after their consultation. However, if you are still feeling anxious, please mention this to the surgeon and options for support on the day of surgery such as medication can be discussed at the time of your consultation. We want to make your surgical experience as comfortable as possible and do our best to address your concerns.