Oral Surgery That Does Not Involve Your Teeth

Dentist Blog

Granted, the most common type of oral surgery is done for the extraction of teeth, however, there may be times when your primary care physician sends you to an oral surgeon for a problem that does not involve fixing or removing a tooth. Oral surgeons are not dentists who can perform dental surgery, they also work on the jaw, different parts of the mouth, and even perform surgeries to other areas of the face. Here are just a few reasons you need to make an appointment with an oral surgeon.

Cleft Lip or Palate

If your child is born with an opening in the roof of his or her mouth, or with a lip that is split oral surgery can repair the problems. Unfortunately, your child will need to undergo more surgeries as he or she grows. The oral surgeon will explain what to expect and how often you should have your child's mouth checked for growth and the need for another surgery.

Facial and/or Sinus Infections

Sometimes infections can grow in different facial sinus cavities. These infections must be treated or they could spread to other parts of the body and cause serious health issues. The pain may start in a tooth, and your dentist may find a build up of fluid during an X-ray. Further testing will reveal the infection and the dentist may send you to an oral surgeon to have the fluid drained. If the root of a tooth is situated in or near the sinus cavity, it may need to be removed during the surgery. This is usually due to the root also being infected. In fact, the bacteria may have entered your mouth through a cavity in a tooth and spread to the sinus area.

Facial Surgery

If you have been involved in some type of accident that shifted or broke any bones in your face, an oral surgeon may be the person who puts things back together. This may include a broken jawbone or cheekbones.  He or she may work alone, or with a plastic surgeon to minimize any scarring. Facial surgery may also be needed to correct the alignment of nasal or check bones to alleviate severe sleep apnea problems.

Oral surgery is an area of medicine that involves both dental training and medical doctor training. If your dentist or primary care physician refers you to this type of professional, you can be sure you will get the best care for your face, mouth, and teeth. For more information, click this link.

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13 February 2017

Mouth Rinses Are Not Just for Bad Breath

I have always brushed and flossed my teeth daily, but I still had the occasional cavity when I visited the dentist for a check-up. He told me it was normal to have a cavity on occasion and that I shouldn't let it stress me out too much. Well, I am not one to just accept any problem I am having, so I started looking into how to improve my oral hygiene even more. I had always thought mouthwash was just to improve your breath, but I found some that said they helped keep cavities away. I started using one every day before bed. I haven't had a cavity in two years now, and I think the mouth rinse is the reason! I created this blog to remind other people that even if they brush and floss regularly, they can always find ways to take even better care of their teeth.