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What is reconstructive oral surgery, and when would this procedure be recommended? Our Napanee dentists give some facts and list signs of when patients may need an operation.
What is reconstructive oral surgery?
Accidents happen every day - from incidents at work, motor vehicle collisions, and sports injuries to falls or facial trauma, an injury to your mouth or teeth can be a scary and stressful experience. It can also negatively impact your long-term oral health.
An oral surgeon may recommend a reconstructive dental surgery procedure to restore your smile's function and appearance. Facial reconstruction surgery can actually be divided into two categories: soft tissue injuries and fractures.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Trauma to the skin or gums, such as cuts on the tongue, lips or inside of your cheek, is classified as a soft tissue injury. These can also include lacerations to the hard or soft palate.
Fractures
If the tiny bone tissue in your mouth gets injured - including the facial bones, teeth or upper or lower jaw - they may need reconstruction.
If severe injuries to the forehead or nasal cavities have occurred, you may need a larger reconstructive surgery.
As you might imagine, an acquired jaw defect as a result of trauma or earlier surgery (e.g. ablative tumour surgery) can have a serious impact on your quality of life in terms of function and appearance - everything from swallowing and eating to speaking, self-confidence and appearance are affected.
You might require facial reconstructive surgery if you receive any of these dental services:
- Wisdom tooth removal
- Dental implants
- Jaw surgery
- Bone grafting
What does reconstructive surgery involve?
Facial injuries, knocked out teeth and other traumatic injuries to the face and neck can leave patients struggling to eat, speak, chew and live a good quality of life. We use reconstructive surgery procedures to replace damaged or missing teeth, correct issues with the jaw joint and treat gum and jawbone damage. Depending on your injury or circumstance, dental implants or other treatment options may be used to repair bone structure and jaw alignment.
Maxillofacial Reconstruction
Maxillofacial reconstruction can entail a range of procedures, from bone grafting to bone transplants with blood vessels for larger, more complex defects. This dental surgery can correct a wide range of defects, diseases and injuries in the face, neck, head and jaws, as well as the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial area.
Rehabilitation
After an oral and maxillofacial surgeon has completed the reconstructive oral surgery, the oral cavity (teeth and gums) must be rehabilitated and lost teeth and gums will be replaced so you can speak, eat and swallow normally again.
Our oral and maxillofacial surgeon at Got Smile Dental Centre is uniquely qualified to provide comprehensive surgical care, guiding you through every stage of treatment, including:
- Ablative resection
- Microvascular reconstruction
- Dental implant placement
Though reconstructive oral surgery can sound intimidating, our dental and oral surgery team at Got Smile Dental Centre is here to answer any questions you may have and address concerns.