Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery
Oral and maxillofacial surgery is a specialty of dentistry that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, dysfunction, defects or injuries of the mouth, jaws, face, and neck. Challenges that can be alleviated through oral and maxillofacial surgery include cleft palates and/or lips, snoring and sleep disorders, dental implants, impacted teeth, facial infections, and cosmetic concerns.
Doctors who specialize in oral and maxillofacial surgery are specially certified to work in this field. In addition to graduating from dental school, these doctors must also attend a four-year or a six-year residency program. Doctors who attend a six-year residency program earn both DMD and MD degrees. These are the surgical specialists of the dental profession.
If you require preventative, reconstructive, or emergency care for your teeth, mouth, jaws and/or facial structures oral and maxillofacial surgeons can help you. A wide range of challenges can be overcome through oral and maxillofacial surgery. Don't hesitate to contact an oral and maxillofacial specialist to improve your life.
Cleft Palate & Lip
Cleft palate is a condition in which two plates of the skull that for the roof of the mouth are not completely joined. Cleft lip is often present as well, and is present when a child is born with the separation between the right and left sides of the upper lip. This is caused by a failure in facial development during pregnancy. In 2004, a gene was identified that increases the occurrence of these deformities three-fold. Therefore, the cause of cleft lip and cleft palate formation is genetic in nature.
Cleft palate and cleft lip can cause problems with feeding and speech, and patients often suffer from ear infections and disease. Additionally, the person may face social stigma if he or she is born with either of these conditions. Fortunately, cleft palate and cleft lip are relatively simple to correct through operations that have been in practice for many years. Doctors stitch tissue together to eliminate the separation and begin the recovery process.
Everyone deserves to be born free of physical defects. Your child is no exception. Around one in 800 babies are born with either cleft palate or cleft lip. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are specially trained to help you and your child lead a normal and happy life.
Snoring and Sleep Disorders (Sleep Apnea)
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which breathing is interrupted during one's sleep. It is caused by the relaxation of muscles in the airway during sleep, which impedes or completely obstructs breathing. This results in inconveniences like excessive snoring, but can also lead to more serious complications. Sleep apnea is the most common category of sleep-disordered breathing, affecting 2% of all females and 4% of all males.
Sleep apnea can have many negative impacts on one's health. People who suffer from sleep apnea often report daytime sleepiness, a poor immune system, poor mental and emotional health, decreased productivity, irritability, low energy, lack of concentration, and slower reaction time. Because sleep apnea decreases the amount of oxygen going to the brain, the disorder can lead to more serious health problems such as insomnia, high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, abnormal heart rhythm, sexual dysfunction, morning headaches, depression, and a sevenfold increase in auto accident involvement.
Fortunately, oral and maxillofacial surgeons can treat sleep apnea and other sleep disorders with very high success rates. If you believe you may suffer from sleep apnea or other sleep disorders, do not hesitate to discuss about this with your doctor. Without proper medical intervention, you may be at serious risk for additional health problems. Everyone deserves a good night's sleep. You need not suffer any longer.
Internal Medicine
Internal medicine combines the science of the laboratory with the care of patients. Doctors of internal medicine have had special study and training focusing on the prevention and treatment of various adult diseases. Internal medicine doctors rely on the medical history and physical examination of a patient to make a diagnosis and recommendation for treatment.
You can benefit from internal medicine doctors examining your dental needs. You deserve to have a gleaming and welcoming smile. Talk with your doctor today about the potential assistance internal medicine can offer.
Anesthesiology
Anesthesiology is the science of blocking the perception of pain and other sensations. The use of anesthesia is common during oral and maxillofacial surgery, as these procedures would be extremely painful without some form of anesthesia. Thanks to developments in anesthesiology, many formerly excruciating operations are now comparatively painless.
There are three forms of anesthesia. General anesthesia induces a temporary loss of consciousness during an operation. Local anesthesia provides a temporary loss of sensation in a specific part of the body by administering an anesthetic drug at the specific site. This is similar to regional anesthesia, but regional anesthesia blocks sensation and possibly movement in an entire region of the body through the spinal cord or nerves connected to the region.
If you are planning on undergoing any form of oral or maxillofacial surgery, the administration of anesthesia is very likely. Doctors and nurses are required to complete extensive and specific training to make this process safe and comfortable. Don't allow any concerns you may have about anesthesiology to interfere with your treatment. Your doctor will help answer any questions you may have.
Otolaryngology
Otolaryngology is a branch of medicine that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of ear, nose, throat, and head and neck disorders. These disorders include head and neck cancer, thyroid cancer, sinusitis, rhinitis, parotitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, otitis media, and mandibular fracture repair.
In order to treat patients, otolaryngology practitioners perform head and neck cancer surgery, facial reconstructive surgery, surgery of the ear, cranial base surgery, sinus surgery, sleep apnea surgery, voice surgery, tracheal surgery, thyroid and parathyroid gland surgery, and maxillofacial trauma surgery. A wide variety of conditions can be improved through otolaryngology.
The reasons for visiting an otolaryngology practitioner can be either medical or aesthetic in nature. The end goal of otolaryngology is to get you looking and feeling your best so you can live a comfortable and healthy life. You deserve superior medical care, and an otolaryngology may be the perfect specialist to provide you with this attention.
Plastic Surgery
Plastic surgery is a significant part of oral and maxillofacial practice. One of the most well known examples of oral maxillofacial plastic surgery is the operation to treat cleft palate or cleft lip. This is a common practice that has been in existence for decades.
Other examples of oral and maxillofacial plastic surgery include jaw realignment and dental implant operations. These are often cosmetic procedures that can help patients gain self confidence and improve self image. Through plastic surgery, dentistry and oral maxillofacial surgery have become more than just maintaining a healthy smile and mouth. Plastic surgery helps patients live better lives.
You deserve a picture perfect smile. Cosmetic dentistry and plastic surgery can give you the oral features you've always hoped for but previously seemed out of reach. Oral and maxillofacial practitioners can help you become the person you've always wanted to be. Don't let anything get in the way of you having a perfect smile.
Emergency Medicine
Life is unpredictable, and sudden injuries can happen anywhere in the body. The teeth and mouth are no exception. Dental emergencies can be very painful, inconvenient, and difficult to ignore. Some common emergencies that require immediate dental care are a broken tooth, a knocked-out tooth, a fractured jaw, an abscess tooth, and a toothache.
In the case of a dental emergency, it is important to get the injured to a dentist as soon as possible. However, there are ways to care for the patient before he or she arrives at the dental office. For a fractured jaw, close the mouth and secure the jaw with a piece of fabric tied around the head and chin. Then, hold an ice pack against the fractured bone to deter swelling. For a broken or loose tooth, apply an ice pack to the area and save any broken tooth fragments. Put these fragments in a jar with milk or wrap them in a wet cloth to take to the dentist. Follow this same procedure if the tooth is knocked out.
It can be very daunting if you or someone you care about has a dental emergency. It is important to remain calm and to get to the dentist as soon as possible. Your dentist can implement advanced emergency medicine techniques to treat victims. Be sure to call your dentist's office if you or someone you care about experiences a dental emergency, even if you don't think it requires immediate attention. It is better to be safe than sorry.
In Tooth Extraction
Tooth extraction is a common dental procedure that is necessary under certain circumstances. Although the operation has a negative reputation, modern medicine has developed to ensure the highest level of comfort and ease possible while teeth are extracted.
There can be any number of reasons why a tooth may need to be extracted. Severely decayed teeth, teeth with advanced periodontal disease, teeth that are broken and irreparable, and poorly positioned teeth are commonly marked for extraction by dentists or oral and maxillofacial surgeons.
If your oral condition requires a tooth extraction, your dentist will explain the process in detail. Contemporary local anesthetics like novocaine and lidocaine will be applied to ensure as painless an experience as possible. Don't let any fears of tooth extraction interfere with your dream of having a perfect smile. Your dentist will work with you to ease any uncertainty you may have.
Dentoalveolar Surgery
Dentoalveolar surgery involves the removal of impacted teeth, difficult extractions, and the exposure of teeth for orthodontic reasons. Diseases of the jawbone and soft tissue are also treated through this type of procedure. The goal of dentoalveolar surgery is to prepare the mouth for final restoration with either removable or non-removable dental appliances.
Dentoalveolar surgery is often a necessary step in the journey towards a beautiful smile. Your dentist can help determine the right procedures for you. You deserve the best dental care available. Do not hesitate to ask your dentist about dentoalveolar surgery.
Facial Infections or Trauma
Facial infections and facial trauma are afflictions that can be addressed with oral and maxillofacial surgery. These impairments are characterized by difficulty breathing, changes in sensation and feeling over the face, double vision, missing teach, and skin impurities.
There are a variety of causes of both facial infections and facial traumas, including exposure to viruses or bacteria and blunt or penetrating injuries to the midface region. The goals of an oral and maxillofacial surgeon are to establish a clear airway, control bleeding if any is present, diagnose all injuries, treat fractures and broken bones if present, and provide immediate treatment once the patient is stable and cleared of all life-threatening injuries.
Facial infections and facial traumas are unfortunate events that can strike any of us. Oral and maxillofacial surgery provides procedures that can save the life of you or anyone you care about. If you ever find yourself in a situation where a facial infection or facial trauma requires medical attention, remember to seek out an oral or maxillofacial specialist to ensure appropriate medical attention.
Cosmetic Maxillofacial Surgery
Cosmetic maxillofacial surgery is used to repair physical imperfections resulting from injury, disease, birth defects, aging, or burns. Repairs are designed to restore function and improve individual appearance. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons have received special training in both surgery and dentistry that makes them qualified to perform cosmetic operations.
Some common operations include facelifts, nasal reconstructions, cosmetic surgeries of the eyes, chin surgeries, cheek implants, facial liposuctions, treatments of skin wrinkles, and treatments of facial scarring. The goals of these operations are to correct functional deformities that affect appearance, enhance the patient's self-esteem and quality of life, and achieve desires expressed by the patient. Cosmetic maxillofacial surgery provides different options to achieve these goals.
You deserve to have a beautiful smile and to be free of blemishes that may make you feel self-conscious. Imagine the confidence you will radiate and the life you will lead without physical imperfections. Cosmetic maxillofacial surgery may be a way for you to achieve the facial features you've always yearned for.