I have always been an avid hockey player, and my love took a bad turn one day when I got struck in the mouth with the puck. It was a painful moment that left me with two teeth knocked out of my mouth. Had I taken the right steps after the accident, I could have possibly saved the teeth, but I did not know I had that option at the time. Thankfully, I worked up the courage to visit a dentist and ask what my options for teeth-replacement were. I was worried I would would have to live the rest of my life without smiling, but I was ecstatic to learn that I was the perfect candidate for dental implants. I created this blog to help others realize that there are so many options to replace missing teeth today that no one has to "just live with" an imperfect smile!
Severe dental pain is usually a sign of a problem with the teeth, gums, or jaws. While this can often be treated with medications or by having dental appliances installed, certain dental problems must be corrected by oral surgery. Oral surgery is commonly performed to relieve pain, improve the ability to chew, and ensure proper alignment of the jaw. These are some different dental conditions the are commonly treated by oral surgery.
Impacted Wisdom Teeth
When the wisdom teeth come in, it is not uncommon for them to be impacted in between the jawbone and the gum tissue. This occurs because there is not enough room for the tooth to come through the gums and fit next to the other back teeth properly.
An impacted wisdom tooth can cause extreme pain and discomfort if it is not removed. This can also lead to a severe infection, damage to the gums, and loss of the teeth that are next to the wisdom tooth. Therefore, oral surgery is often performed to cut through the gums so the wisdom tooth can be extracted safely.
Dental Implants
When one or several of the natural teeth have fallen out or been extracted due to decay or other damage, one option to replace the missing teeth is to have dental implants installed. This requires oral surgery because the dental implants must be secured to small metal posts that are placed under the gums and attached to the lower jawbone.
Dental implants are an excellent option for replacing missing teeth because they both look and feel most like natural teeth. Dental implants are suitable for those who have strong, healthy jawbones and those who do not have frequent dental infections.
Cleft Palate or Cleft Lip Repair
Oral surgery is also performed to do repair for those who are born with a cleft lip, cleft palate or both. Having a cleft lip means that the upper lip did not develop properly before the patient was born. Restorative oral surgery is commonly performed to reconstruct the shape of the lip so that the patient can eat, smile and speak properly.
If the patient has a cleft palate, this means the roof of the mouth has hole in it because it did not fully develop. The surgery is necessary so that patients can eat and drink normally, without getting choked or strangled.
Uneven Jaw Growth
Uneven jaw growth is another dental problem that is often corrected by oral surgery. If left untreated, the patient may have problems chewing, speaking, swallowing and breathing. There may be pieces of bone that must be removed from the upper, lower or both jaws to correct this problem. Then, the bone may be surgically repositioned to make the jawbones more evenly balanced.
Oral surgery may also be required if there is damage to the facial area near the teeth and gums. For example, if the jaws or facial bones become fractured in an injury, this might have to be corrected by oral surgery.
For more information, contact dental experts, like those at Peak Family Dentistry & Orthodontics.
Share23 September 2016
