A list of circumstances may require oral surgery, including:
Impacted Teeth
Wisdom teeth, otherwise recognized as third molars, are the very last set of teeth to build up. Occasionally these teeth appear from the gum line and the jaw is big enough to allow room for them, but for the most part of the time, this is not the case. More often than not, one or more of these third molars fails to come out in the correct alignment or fails to completely emerge all the way through the gum line and becomes entrapped or “impacted” among the jawbone and the gum tissue. Impacted wisdom teeth can result in swelling, pain, and infection of the gum tissue neighboring the wisdom teeth. In addition, impacted wisdom teeth can cause everlasting damage to nearby teeth, gums, and bone and can occasionally lead to the development of cysts or tumors that can destroy sections of the jaw. For that reason, dentists advise people with impacted wisdom teeth have them surgically removed.
It’s not just wisdom teeth that sometimes become impacted and need to be removed. Other teeth, such as the cuspids and the bicuspids can turn into impacted and can cause the same types of troubles described with impacted wisdom teeth.
Tooth Loss
Dental implants are an option for tooth loss due to an accident or infection or as an substitute to dentures. The implants are tooth root replacements that are surgically anchored in place in the jawbone and act to stabilize the artificial teeth to which they are attached. Fitting candidates for dental implants need to have an sufficient bone level and density, must not be prone to infection, and must be eager to maintain superior oral hygiene practices.
Jaw-connected Problems
• Unequal jaw growth. In some persons, the upper and lower jaw fail to grow correctly. This can cause trouble in talking, eating, swallowing, and breathing. Although a quantity of of these problems — like inappropriate teeth alignment — can be corrected with braces and other orthodontic appliances, more serious problems needs oral surgery to move all or part of the upper jaw, lower jaw, or both into a new arrangement that is more balanced, efficient, and healthy.
• Improve fit of dentures. For first-time denture wearers, oral surgery can be done to correct any irregularities of the jaws prior to creating the dentures to guarantee a better fit. Oral surgery can also help long-term denture wearers. Supporting bone frequently deteriorates over time resulting in dentures that no longer fit properly. In severe cases, an oral surgeon can add a bone graft to areas where little bone remains.
• (TMJ) Temporomandibular joint disorders. Dysfunction of the TMJ, the tiny joint in front of the ear where the skull and lower jaw meet, is a regular source of headache and facial pain. Most patients with TMJ disorders can be successfully treated with a mixture of oral medications, physical therapy, and splints. However, joint surgery is an alternative for advanced cases and when the diagnosis specify a specific problem in the joint.
Other Conditions Treated By Oral Surgery
• Facial injury repair. Oral surgery is often used to fix fractured jaws and broken facial bones.
• Lesion removal and biopsy. Oral surgeons can take a tiny sample of irregular growth of tissue and then send it for laboratory testing for classification. Some lesions can be managed medically or can be removed by the oral surgeon.
• Cleft lip and cleft palate repair. Cleft lip and cleft palate result when all or portions of the mouth and nasal cavity do not develop together properly during fetal growth. The outcome is a gap in the lip and/or a split in the opening in the roof of the mouth. Oral surgeons work as part of a team of health care specialists to correct these problems through a series of treatments and surgical procedures over many years.
• Facial infections. Pain and swelling in the face, neck, or jaws may point to an infection. Infections in this area of the body can occasionally develop into life-threatening emergencies if not treated promptly and effectively. An oral surgeon can assist in diagnosing and treating this problem. Surgical treatment, if needed, may include cutting into and draining the infected area as well as extracting any teeth that might be involved.
• Snoring/sleep apnea. When traditional methods fail to ease this problem, surgery can be tried. Surgical procedures involve removing the soft tissues of the oropharynx (an area in the back portion of the mouth) or the lower jaw. Laser surgery is a newer treatment option. Depending on the surgical method used, the laser is used to either slowly scar the palate, which tightens it, or to remove palate tissue.