When is an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Recommended?

Oral and maxillofacial surgery is performed on mouth tissues, including gums and teeth. In the case of maxillofacial surgery, the surgical procedure will be done either on your face, jaw, or head.

Types of Oral Surgery

Oral surgeons perform various procedures and provide consultations when the general dentist may not be sure whether surgical treatment is needed.

Local anesthetics are used in all oral surgery. Depending on the type of surgery, your oral surgeon may recommend local anesthetics or conscious sedation to minimize pain and discomfort during the procedure.

Here are some of the most common types of oral Surgery in Salem, MA.

Wisdom Teeth Extraction

Although some people have no problems with their wisdom teeth, it is common for these third molars to be impacted or stuck due to misalignment or incomplete eruption. Over time, impacted wisdom teeth can become painful and cause teeth misalignment. In addition, food is easily trapped around wisdom teeth, causing tooth decay and gum disease.

Your general dentist can remove wisdom teeth, but impacted teeth may require oral surgery.

Sleep Apnea Treatment

Sleep apnea, a severe sleep disorder, requires treatment to manage it. There are many treatment options for this condition, including the use of mouthguards or special machines that keep the airway open at night. However, surgery becomes the better option for some people, especially if the disorder is chronic. Oral surgeons remove excess tissue from the throat to clear the airway and significantly reduce symptoms.

Reconstructive Jaw Surgery

In jaw trauma, maxillofacial surgeons will diagnose jaw injuries and misalignment that need surgical intervention. Reconstructive jaw surgery can improve the patient’s appearance, reduce pain, and restore normal mouth functions.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are an alternative for tooth replacement. During dental implant surgery, your oral surgeon replaces the tooth’s root area with a metal post. This provides a solid foundation for artificial teeth (called crowns), which resemble and function like natural teeth.

Facial Cosmetic Surgery

Your oral and maxillofacial surgeon will do cosmetic treatments to improve your mouth, jaw, and facial appearance. The treatments include facelifts, lip augmentation, chin beauty, ear surgery, nasal reconstruction, etc.

What to Do if you’re Undergoing surgery

Do you have a dental oral surgery appointment, but you don’t know what will happen? Dental surgery is standard, but it can be daunting if you have never done it before. Below is information on what will happen.

Don’t drive yourself.

If you are undergoing a procedure that requires sedation, you should not drive a car after the procedure. Instead, after making an appointment, please ask someone to drive you to and from the clinic.

You may need to Fast.

Unless you have diabetes, your dentist may advise you to avoid eating 12 hours before the oral dental procedure. This means not eating or taking beverages. Instead, take any medication as usual, with a small amount of water. Fasting minimizes the risk of aspiration, which causes the lungs to fill up with stomach contents.

Eating

Consume mushy food for a while—foods such as soup and yogurt before surgery. Avoid crunchy, hard foods for about six to eight weeks after the operation, as they can damage sensitive gums. It will help if you eat only room-temperature beverages and food. Because your mouth is still numb, you may not realize that food is hot and may cause burns.

Use Ice

After surgery, you may experience swelling around the surgical site. To minimize swelling and relieve discomfort, use an ice pack and place it on the surgical site for 15 minutes at a time.

Avoid Sucking

Avoid smoking and using straws for at least five days after the operation. Sucked air removes blood clots that form at the surgical site, which leads to a dry socket.

Oral Hygiene

After 24 hours, you should start rinsing your mouth regularly. Use warm saline water to floss after meals.

Oral Surgery in Salem, MA

At Mass Bay Dental, our oral and maxillofacial surgeons help patients correct aesthetic problems, allowing them to live confidently and comfortably.

If you have questions about oral and maxillofacial surgery, contact us now for an appointment and consultation with our highly qualified team.