Suzanne Fohl DDS in Baltimore: Wisdom Teeth Removal and Surgical Extractions

Suzanne Fohl DDS is an oral surgeon in Baltimore offering tooth extractions, wisdom teeth removal, and implant-related procedures. The practice operates as a surgical specialist referral center, meaning most patients arrive by referral from their general dentist rather than calling directly for routine cleanings. For Baltimore residents facing difficult extractions or post-implant bone grafting, this practice sits between general dentistry and hospital-based surgical care.

What Fohl Suzanne DDS Actually Is

Fohl's practice is a dedicated oral surgery office, not a general dental clinic. Oral surgery differs from general dentistry in scope and training. While a general dentist can remove most routine teeth, an oral surgeon holds a dental degree plus an additional 4-6 years of surgical residency and handles complex cases: impacted wisdom teeth, bone grafting before implant placement, surgical extractions of broken teeth, and tooth transplants. Fohl's practice focuses on these referral-based surgical procedures rather than preventive care like cleanings and checkups.

Procedures and Sedation Options

The practice provides extractions at multiple complexity levels. Routine extractions for patients with straightforward cases (like a loose tooth or simple impaction) represent the lower end of the surgical spectrum; complex cases such as severely impacted wisdom teeth or extractions complicated by prior radiation or medical history command higher fees and longer appointment times.

Sedation is a key distinction in oral surgery pricing. Options typically include local anesthesia alone, nitrous oxide with local anesthesia, IV conscious sedation (twilight), or general anesthesia, each moving upward in cost and requiring different monitoring and recovery protocols. IV sedation, common for wisdom teeth removal, allows the patient to remain responsive but unaware of the procedure, and costs considerably more than local anesthesia alone. Verify current pricing and sedation fees directly with the office, as these figures change with materials and anesthesia provider rates.

Recovery expectations vary by procedure and sedation type. Wisdom teeth removal under IV sedation typically involves swelling that peaks 48-72 hours post-op and fades over 7-10 days. More complex surgical extractions may require 2-3 weeks of restricted activity.

How Fohl Compares to Other Baltimore Oral Surgeons

Baltimore has several other oral surgery options. University of Maryland School of Dentistry's oral surgery clinic, located in West Baltimore, serves as a teaching clinic with lower-cost procedures performed by residents under faculty supervision; wait times are often longer, but fees run 20-40% below private practice. UM suits patients with straightforward cases who can flex on scheduling.

Mercy Medical Center's oral surgery department, part of Bon Secours, handles more complex hospital-based cases and medically compromised patients requiring OR-level support; it is the choice when surgery needs operating-room monitoring or when a patient has significant cardiac or respiratory concerns that require hospital infrastructure.

Private practices like Fohl operate in the middle ground: faster appointments than a teaching clinic, more personalized care than a hospital system, and pricing between the two. Choose Fohl if you need expert-level surgical care without hospital overhead and without the teaching-clinic delays.

Who This Suits and Who It Does Not

Fohl's practice is ideal for:

  • Patients with difficult wisdom teeth requiring surgical removal
  • Referrals from a general dentist for a complex extraction
  • Anyone needing bone grafting in preparation for dental implants
  • Patients who prefer a dedicated surgical specialist over a general dentist attempting extraction

It is not the right fit for:

  • Routine cleaning and preventive care (see your general dentist)
  • Patients with severe medical conditions requiring hospital-level anesthesia monitoring (visit a hospital oral surgery department)
  • Those without a referral who need a simple tooth extraction (your general dentist may handle it)

What the First Visit Involves

Patients typically arrive at Fohl's office by referral, with clinical notes and imaging from their general dentist already in hand. At the appointment, you meet with Fohl to review the surgical plan, discuss anesthesia options, sign consent forms, and review pre-operative instructions. Pre-op typically requires fasting (nothing by mouth for 6-8 hours if IV sedation is planned), stopping certain medications, and arranging a driver if sedation is used. The surgical appointment itself varies from 20-30 minutes for a straightforward extraction to 60+ minutes for impacted wisdom teeth or bone grafting. Post-op, you receive written care instructions covering ice, elevation, diet restrictions, and pain management, plus a follow-up appointment timeline.

Hours, Parking, and Logistics

Verify current hours with the office directly, as surgical practices often adjust scheduling based on case load. Most oral surgery offices operate Monday through Friday, with some offering limited Saturday availability for urgent referrals. Street parking is typical in Baltimore neighborhoods; confirm parking specifics with the office when you schedule.

Plan for a second adult if you choose IV sedation, as you cannot drive immediately post-procedure. Recovery time at the office is usually 30-45 minutes before discharge.

Suzanne Fohl DDS fills the essential surgical-specialist gap in Baltimore's dental landscape, removing the cases that general dentists refer outward and keeping complex extractions and implant preparation local rather than defaulting to larger hospital systems.