Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

 

Oral, Dental and Maxillofacial Surgery is a branch of dentistry that includes many different applications and concerns all branches within the scope of oral and dental health.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Treatments

Tooth Extraction: Tooth extractions are the most common procedure performed by oral surgeons in both adults and children. Teeth may need to be removed for reasons such as decay, impaction, gum disease, infection, etc.

Impacted Tooth Extractions: Impacted teeth are teeth that have not erupted due to poor position or lack of space. They can also become impacted due to a primary tooth not falling out on time or due to cystic lesions. Wisdom teeth, canines, and first premolars are often impacted. Impacted teeth can appear either completely impacted or partially impacted. Impacted teeth usually do not cause any obvious symptoms and are only detected during a routine radiographic examination.

Symptoms of impacted teeth: Sometimes, an impacted tooth can damage the roots of neighboring teeth. This can cause difficulty biting or chewing, sensitivity, or pain. It can also cause bad breath and a bad taste in the mouth.

If the problems listed above are present, your Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon will recommend an extraction. Tooth extraction surgery is usually performed as an outpatient procedure in an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon's office. This means you can go home the same day as your procedure. The procedure is usually short and is usually performed under local anesthesia. Sedation or general anesthesia may be used in cases of anxiety.

Jaw Cysts: Cysts are pathological spaces filled with fluid or semi-fluid material and surrounded by soft tissue called epithelium. Cysts grow slowly in their respective locations. While they can occur anywhere on the body, they are most common in the jaw.

Jaw cysts are a rather insidious disease, often without any obvious symptoms in the early stages. For this reason, many people seek medical attention when the condition progresses. However, delayed diagnosis can lead to significant damage to the jawbones.

Because jaw cysts don't present symptoms or cause pain in the early stages, they can go unnoticed for many years. Surgery is essential for jaw cysts that are treated surgically. If left untreated, jaw cysts can cause serious problems such as facial swelling, inflammation, jawbone deformation, and the formation of benign or malignant tumors.

Jaw Tumors: Jaw Tumors: Jaw tumors are tumors that form in the mouth, sometimes benign and sometimes malignant. They usually occur in conjunction with a disruption in tooth development. This is the most common cause.

A jaw tumor requires surgical removal. This procedure can be performed under local or general anesthesia, depending on the tumor's size.

The key to determining whether a jaw tumor is benign or malignant is pathological examination. These procedures, also known as microscopic examinations, can only determine the patient's treatment plan.

Apicoectomy (Apical Resection): If a tooth has been infected for too long and has not received any treatment, a serious infection can develop at the root apex. In such cases, an apicoectomy is performed. In this procedure, the gum tissue is opened to reveal the underlying bone and remove the infected tissue. The infected portion of the root apex is also removed, and the root canal is completely sealed to prevent infection from seeping into the canal.

Treatment of Abscess and Maxillofacial Infection: A tooth abscess is a buildup of pus in the gums and/or roots, causing significant discomfort and pain for most patients. An abscess is caused by a bacterial infection beneath the skin's surface. Resembling a pimple, it can be divided into two categories: periapical and periodontal.

1- Periapical abscess (abscess on the tooth): This abscess occurs at the tip of a tooth root and is usually caused by untreated dental cavities, an injured or broken tooth, or sometimes by previous treatment.

2- Periodontal abscess (abscess in the gums): This abscess is not the result of untreated cavities, injuries, or previous treatments. A tooth with a periodontal abscess is vital and healthy, without cavities or damage. When food gets trapped between the gum and tooth, this can lead to bacterial accumulation under the gum and in the bone, resulting in a periodontal abscess.

Tooth abscesses are a symptom of a gum or tooth infection. The symptoms of a tooth abscess are quite distinct and similar for most patients. It's also important to note that some acute abscesses may be painless but can cause swelling of the gums and cheeks. However, if the abscess occurs on a tooth that has undergone root canal treatment, it may not cause any pain because the nerve has died.

SYMPTOMS OF TOOTH ABSCESS

• Extreme, sharp or throbbing pain.
• Pain that increases when pressure or heat is applied to the affected area.
• In extreme cases, swollen lymph nodes and facial swelling.
• Bad breath.
•Fever
• Trismus (if the patient has difficulty opening his/her mouth).
• Insomnia.
• General discomfort and distress.

A tooth abscess is easily diagnosed by a dentist. Once an abscess is detected, the first step is for your dentist to drain it and eliminate the infection. Antibiotics are prescribed to treat the infection before any dental treatment. Then, the dentist proceeds with the appropriate treatment options, such as root canal treatment, implants, or bridges.

Leaving a tooth abscess untreated can lead to serious complications that extend beyond dental health. The pus can leak and reach vital organs. An untreated oral abscess can sometimes lead to brain damage, heart damage, sinus problems, and jawbone damage.

Gum diseases (periodontal disease): It's an infectious disease that affects not only the tooth itself but also the tissues surrounding and supporting it. Even completely decay-free teeth can be lost due to this disease. Periodontal disease is one of the most common chronic diseases in society, affecting one or multiple teeth. It can be seen in children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly. Because it's usually painless, its symptoms are often difficult for patients to detect, and in many cases, it's not often that they seek medical attention.

Supporting tissues around the teeth; The gum, tooth root, jawbone, and the fibers that connect the tooth root to the jawbone are called the "periodontium." When the infection affects only the gums, it is called "gingivitis." Symptoms of gingivitis include red, swollen, shiny, soft, and easily bleeding gums. Bleeding is the most significant symptom.

In more advanced cases, conditions affecting the gums and other tissues mentioned above are defined as "periodontitis." Symptoms of periodontitis include bleeding gums, red/bluish-purple discoloration, gum recession, gum enlargement, tooth displacement, spacing, lengthening, loosening, abscess formation, sensitivity, and bad breath. Pain often accompanies the abscess formation. This can lead to infection in the periodontium, aesthetic impairment, loss of chewing ability, and a diseased and unsupported framework that cannot support the implanted dentures.

Periodontal Surgeries: In some cases, periodontal surgery is necessary to treat gum diseases and conditions. This type of surgery is known as periodontal surgery. The goal of these surgical procedures includes treating gum disease or restoring lost bone and soft tissue, preventing tooth loss, eliminating bacteria and infection, and shaping the gums.

Periodontal surgery is not a routine procedure for every gum disease. In some cases, it is possible to gain new bone and tooth tissue through periodontal surgery. Excellent oral hygiene is essential before periodontal surgery. Maximizing oral hygiene after periodontal surgery significantly improves healing.

Periodontal surgical procedures; It covers various applications such as flap operations, bone grafting applications, guided tissue regenerations, and soft tissue transfers.

Periodontal surgery can generally be performed comfortably under local anesthesia. In some cases, these procedures can also be performed with sedation or general anesthesia.