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Procedures
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is the
specialty of dentistry which includes the surgical and adjunctive
treatment of diseases, injuries and defects involving both the
functional and esthetic aspects of the hard and soft tissues of the
oral and maxillofacial region.
We proudly offer the following
services:
Dental
implants are changing the way people live! They are designed to
provide a foundation for replacement teeth which look, feel, and
function like natural teeth. The person who has lost teeth
regains the ability to eat  virtually anything and can smile with
confidence, knowing that teeth appear natural and that facial contours
will be preserved.
What are Dental
Implants?
The implants themselves are tiny titanium posts which are inserted
into the jawbone where teeth are missing. These metal anchors
act as tooth root substitutes. They are surgically placed into
the jawbone. The bone bonds with the titanium, creating a strong
foundation for artificial teeth. Small posts are then attached
to the implant which protrude through the gums. These posts
provide stable anchors for artificial replacement teeth.
Implants also help preserve facial structure, preventing the bone
deterioration that occurs when teeth are missing.
The average adult has thirty-two teeth
by age eighteen: sixteen upper teeth and sixteen lower teeth.
Each tooth in the mouth has a specific name, number, and
function. The teeth in the front of the mouth (incisors, canine  and
bicuspid teeth) are ideal for grasping and biting food into smaller
pieces while the back teeth, or molar teeth, are used to grind food up
into a consistency suitable for swallowing.
However, the average mouth has room to
hold only 28 teeth. It can be painful when 32 teeth try to fit
in a mouth that holds only 28 teeth. These four other teeth are
your third molars, also known as "wisdom teeth."
Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to
erupt within the mouth. When they align properly, and gum tissue
is healthy, wisdom teeth do not have to be removed.
Unfortunately, this does not generally happen. The extraction of
wisdom teeth is necessary when they are prevented from properly
erupting within the mouth. They may grow sideways, partially
emerge from the gum, and even remain trapped beneath the gum and
bone. Impacted teeth can take many positions in the bone as they
attempt to find a pathway that will allow them to erupt successfully.
These poorly positioned impacted teeth
can cause many problems. When they are partially erupted, the
opening around the tooth allows bacteria to grow and will eventually
cause an infection. The result: swelling, stiffness, pain and
illness. The pressure from the erupting wisdom tooth may move
other teeth and disrupt the orthodontic or natural alignment of
teeth. The most serious problem occurs when tumors or cysts form
around the impacted wisdom tooth, resulting in the destruction of the
jawbone and healthy teeth. Removal of the offending impacted
tooth or teeth usually resolves these problems. Early removal is
recommended to avoid such future problems and to decrease the surgical
risk involved with the procedure.
Orthognathic
Surgery
Orthognathic surgery is needed when jaws
don't meet correctly and/or teeth don't seem to fit with jaws.
Teeth are straightened with orthodontics, and corrective jaw surgery
repositions misaligned jaws. This not only improves facial
appearance, but also ensures that teeth meet correctly and function
properly.
Jaw growth is a gradual process and, in
some instances, the upper and lower jaws may grow at different
rates. The result can be a host of problems that can affect
chewing function, speech, long-term oral health, and appearance.
Injury to the jaw and birth defects can also affect jaw alignment.
While orthodontics alone can correct bite problems if only the teeth are
involved, orthognathic surgery may be required if the jaws also need
repositioning.
Difficulty in the following areas should
be evaluated :
- Difficulty
In Chewing, Biting or Swallowing
- Speech
Problems
- Chronic Jaw
or TMJ Pain
- Open Bite
- Protruding
Jaw
- Breathing
Problems
Oral
Pathology
The inside of the mouth is normally lined
with a special type of skin (mucosa) that is smooth and coral pink in
color. Any alteration in this  appearance
could be a warning sign for a pathological process. The most
serious of these is oral cancer. The following can be signs of the
beginning of a pathologic process or cancerous growth:
- Reddish
patches (erythroplasia) or whitish patches (leukoplakia) in the
mouth
- A sore that
fails to heal and bleeds easily
- A lump or
thickening on the skin lining the inside of the mouth
- Chronic sore
throat or hoarseness
- Difficulty
in chewing or swallowing
These changes can be detected on the
lips, cheeks, palate, and gum tissue around the teeth, tongue, face,
and/or neck. Pain does not always occur with pathology and,
curiously, is not often associated with oral cancer. However, any
patient with facial and/or oral pain without an obvious cause or reason
may also be at risk for oral cancer.
TMJ
Disorder
TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorders
are a family of problems related to your complex jaw joint. If
you have had symptoms like pain or a "clicking" sound,
you'll be glad to know that these problems are more easily diagnosed
and treated than they were in the past. Since some types of TMJ
problems can lead to more serious conditions, early detection and
treatment are important.
No one treatment can resolve TMJ
disorders completely and treatment takes time to be effective.
Our oral surgeons can help you have a healthier and more comfortable
jaw.
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