At Brazos Oral & Facial Surgery, we are committed to excellence in providing top-notch patient care and customer service. We do this by making our patients feel comfortable and confident that they are receiving the best possible care. We are always aiming to provide comprehensive solutions to your individual oral health problems through offering a wide range of services to fit your personal needs. We strive to develop loyalty both with our patients and referrals through strong and timely communication, teamwork, and professionalism that allows them to appreciate the value in the services we provide.

Our practice continues to grow and become both the premier provider of dental implants as well as oral surgery in the community and beyond. If you need a wisdom teeth removal, dental implants placed, a bone graft procedure, facial trauma treatment, or an entire arch of teeth replaced with the Full-Arch Replacement procedure, our surgical team and office staff are trained to handle your unique oral health needs and are here to assist you. We accomplish this by creating a low-stress work environment that meets professional goals, providing timely care and treatment, and by developing a team of employees whose abilities and personalities are unmatched by anyone else.

Dr. Scott Warren is a native of Waco, Texas. Dr. Warrens professional interests include dental implant surgery and bone graft reconstruction, wisdom tooth removal, corrective jaw surgery, and facial trauma and reconstructive surgery. He has an interest in Cone Beam CT three-dimensional imaging and lectures on dental implants, bone grafting, and 3D imaging.

Dr. Warren was a member of the 2014 Texas Medical Association Leadership College. Currently, he is serving as the secretary/treasurer of the Texas Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and is a member of the Board of Directors for the McLennan County Medical Society. Dr. Warren previously served in the leadership of the Central Texas Dental Society and was a president of that organization. He is a member of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, American Dental Association, Texas Medical Association, Texas Dental Association, Central Texas Dental Society, and McLennan County Medical Society, as well as the Texas Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and the Southwest Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

After graduating from Baylor University, he earned his dental degree from Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas, Texas, in 2002, receiving the Gold Medal as the top graduate of his dental school class. He was a member of Omicron Kappa Upsilon and was presented the William S. Kramer Award of Excellence. He received numerous other awards and accolades.

Following completion of dental school, Dr. Warren obtained his medical degree from Texas Tech University School of Medicine in 2005. He completed his internship in general surgery at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. Dr. Warren completed his residency training in oral and maxillofacial surgery at Baylor College of Dentistry and Baylor University Medical Center in 2008.

In his free time, Dr. Warren enjoys spending time with his wife, Ashley, who is also a native of Waco, their daughter, Mabry, and son, Miles. He is an avid Baylor fan and spends as much time as possible outdoors hunting, fishing, snow skiing, and wakeboarding.

Originally from Magnolia, Texas, Dr. Gatlin grew up with an interest in the field of dentistry. His professional interests have led him to be a leading specialist in wisdom tooth extraction, dental implants, bone grafting, oral pathology, jaw surgery, TMJ disorders, facial trauma, and reconstructive surgery. Motivated by making a difference, Dr. Gatlins dedication to his patients led him to his involvement in the Texas Dental Association Smiles Foundation, which is an organization that provides dental treatment and education to underserved Texas residents. Now, he serves on the New Dentist Committee of the TDA Smiles Foundation while maintaining positive and meaningful relationships with his patients in the Waco area.

Dr. Gatlin earned his bachelors in chemistry from Texas A&M University in 2009, and his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Baylor College of Dentistry in 2013, where he was on the Deans Honor Roll all four years. He was awarded the Warren A. Parker Award for his contributions in community dentistry and was recognized by the Southwest Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons for his distinguished achievements in the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery. After dental school, Dr. Gatlin obtained his Doctor of Medicine degree from Louisiana State University Medical School.

Dr. Gatlin is a member of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, the American Dental Association, Texas Dental Association, Central Texas Dental Society, and the Texas Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.

Outside of the office, Dr. Gatlin enjoys outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing, and mountain biking. He is a proud Texas A&M sports fan and can always be found rooting for his hometown team, the Baylor Bears.

The third and last set of molars to erupt in the back of your mouth are commonly known as wisdom teeth. Many teens and young adults develop a full set of permanent teeth but do not realize they have these extra molars because they are undetectable without regular dental exams and proper X-ray evaluation.

They grow beneath the surface of the gums and establish within the jaw, but most jaws are not large enough to accommodate the additional set of molars, causing significant oral health problems. Without regular dental screening, it is not uncommon for the molars to remain undiscovered when they have already become a problem and extraction is necessary. Approximately 85% of third molars will need to be removed. To avoid serious complications, Dr. Warren recommends early removal in Waco, TX to prevent problems from arising and more complicated procedures in the future.

If a patients molars have partially grown or fully grown in, they are at an increased risk for the development of several serious oral and dental problems, like impaction and dental disease. These issues may require extensive or costly procedures to correct and cause severe discomfort.

A wisdom tooth becomes impacted because there is not enough space within the dental arch, which causes the it to grow at an angle, moving toward the other molars and their established roots. Tooth impaction can cause pain, lead to oral infection, or cause pathologic conditions. When the molar is growing toward adjacent teeth, it can trap plaque and debris, making your teeth more vulnerable to decay. The molars may also crowd or damage neighboring teeth or harm the jaw bone and its nerves.

If Dr. Warren recommends wisdom teeth removal, the procedure will depend on the position of the tooth (or teeth) and the root development. A tooth that has fully cut through the gum can be extracted like any other tooth.

A tooth that is underneath the gums and pushed into the jaw bone will require an incision into the gums and removal of the portion of bone that lies over the tooth. In this case, the tooth will be extracted in smaller portions to minimize the amount of bone that is removed.

The area around where the extraction will take place will be treated with a local anesthetic prior to removal. Dr. Warren will then enter the gums and carefully remove the molars from your jaw, stitching you up afterward. Most patients sleep comfortably through the procedure and dont remember it happening once they wake up.

If you have any questions prior to your procedure, our responsive office staff and our highly trained surgical team would be happy to help you and answer your questions. Dr. Warren performs wisdom teeth removal procedures regularly at our Waco, TX, office and is completely qualified to perform your procedure.

Your wisdom teeth contain many stem cells which can differentiate into different types of cells in the body. When you bank these important stem cells with Stemodontics, you are investing in yourself by helping to protect yourself against future health crises. Talk to your oral surgeon today about the benefits of stem cell banking and how it can bring you peace of mind when it comes to your future and your health.