What Are the Signs and Symptoms To opt For Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery?

by Thomas Bucholz · May 17, 2022

Teeth problems are one of the worst things to happen in our life, going through so much pain is just like a nightmare. This includes anything from broken teeth to gum problems etc. However, many times, we do go through jaw problems too and that is when the dentist would recommend going through oral and maxillofacial surgery.

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are the ones that perform not only the basic dental tasks, but also the complex tooth and jaw problems. Much of the practice consists of surgeries related to facial reconstruction, facial trauma, and performing dental procedures that involve jawbones. For example, if you have anything to work on a jaw alignment then you can look out for dentist Rancho Bernardo who can do this work for you. Hekmat dental care is a clinic here in San Diego where Dr. Hekmat and his team can work together to give you the finest family and cosmetic dental care.

More on Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

As mentioned above, they consist of a variety of procedures that involves surgeries on the mouth, jaw, and face. It is said to be an upgraded form of dental surgery where their studies and their practice are far beyond this. These surgeons have to be trained for 6 additional years including two to get their MD.

Depending on the condition of the patient, a Rancho Bernardo dentist may perform inpatient, outpatient, emergency, or scheduled procedures. It might sometimes require the involvement of orthopaedic surgeons, surgical oncologists, or otolaryngologists when the case involves complications.

Procedures performed by OMS surgeons

Tooth extractions: This is mainly used when your wisdom tooth is broken or is not grown well enough to chew food. In this case, you need the OMS procedure to get the extraction done
Dental implants: This is done when you got a missing tooth and require one to be placed at this place. Sometimes bone grafting is also required depending on your jaw condition. In this case, an OMS needs to be done.
Trauma: If your face has gone through some trauma or injury and requires reconstructive surgery then an OMS can do this work for you. They are specialized in working on both hard and soft tissues.
Corrective jaw surgery: This is required when a patient is having misaligned bite, jaw and skeletal birth defects, or severe orthodontic condition. The OMS team will work together with orthodontists to correct these structural flaws.
Cleft lip surgery: This is done when there is a surgery required for birth defects and it results in a cleft lip.

Signs that you need oral and maxillofacial

When you are unable to chew food properly
You are unable to swallow food
Teeth are worn out excessively
Having birth defects like cleft lip or any facial injury
Have protruding jaw
When you got sleep apnea or problems sleeping like snoring
If you have a problem like chronic mouth breathing that leads to dry mouth
When you got a receding chin
If there is an imbalance between your right and left side of the face
When you can’t let your lips close properly without applying pressure
There is a poor jaw alignment
When you have headaches due to continuous pain in the jaw area that is a sign of temporomandibular jaw disorder.

Potential Risks in OMS

Just like any other surgical procedure, OMS do involve certain risks and complications. This includes:

Unintended changes in the overall appearance of the face
Unintended changes in the jaw alignment
Airflow changes in the nose as well as sinuses
Damage caused to facial nerves can lead to numbness or loss of facial control
When there is a dry socket that has caused no blood clotting that is required at the time of healing in the tooth extraction process. It is also called Alveolar Osteitis.
Pain during movement of the jaw is caused by bone inflammation. It is called condensing osteitis.
Tissue death or tissue necrosis is caused by a reduction in the blood flow in the tissue area.

Difference between oral and maxillofacial surgery

They both are the same thing. Their training will involve both oral and maxillofacial surgery but many times the surgeons will limit their practice to oral surgery which is office-based and not hospital-based. You can check for the best dentist Rancho Bernardo experienced in this OMS on online sites with their reviews.

Before the surgery:

Here your surgeon will check for your symptoms and examine your oral surroundings. He might order x-rays that can give a detailed image of maxillofacial structures. They will diagnose the condition and then recommend treatment or surgery.

During the surgery:

The surgery will vary depending on the problem and the procedure. Some surgeries are outpatient procedures where the patient can go home on the same day itself. While others might require inpatient procedures which would require a stay. You will be given anesthesia that will prevent pain or put you to sleep depending on your condition. In the end, you might get stitches to close the wounds. The wounds will be closed with a pack to avoid bleeding.

After the surgery

You will experience some discomfort or pain depending on the surgery. You will be given medications and explained in detail about your care after going home.