Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Corrective Jaw Surgery

Orthognathic surgery is needed when the jaw doesn’t meet correctly and/or teeth don’t seem to fit into the jaw. In this procedure, teeth are straightened using orthodontics and corrective jaw surgery repositions misaligned jaws. This not only improves facial appearance, but also ensures that teeth meet correctly and function properly.

Cleft Lip and Palate

Children born with either or both of these conditions usually need the skills of several professionals to manage the problems associated with the defect, such as: feeding, speech, hearing and psychological development. In most cases, surgery is recommended. Cleft lip surgery is usually performed when the child is about 10 weeks old. A cleft palate can safely be treated with surgery when the child is 7 to 18 months old.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are changing the way people live. They are designed to provide a foundation for replacement teeth that look, feel and function like natural teeth. With dental implants, the person who has lost his/her teeth regains the ability to eat virtually anything, and develops the confidence that comes from his/her new teeth’s natural appearance and their own preserved facial contours. Patients with dental implants can now smile with confidence.

Bone Grafting

When teeth are lost, the jawbone atrophies or reabsorbs over a period of time. This often results in a condition in which there is poor quality and quantity of suitable bone for the placement of dental implants. In the past, most of these patients were not candidates for dental implants.

Today, we have the ability to grow bone where needed. This not only gives us the opportunity to place implants of proper length and width, but it also gives us a chance to restore functionality and aesthetic appearance.

Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth are the last teeth to erupt within the mouth. When they align properly and gum tissue is healthy, wisdom teeth do not have to be removed. Unfortunately, this does not generally happen. The extraction of wisdom teeth is necessary when they are prevented from properly erupting within the mouth. They may grow sideways, partially emerge from the gum or remain trapped beneath the gum and bone. Impacted wisdom teeth can take many positions in the bone as they attempt to find a pathway that will allow them to erupt successfully.

Impacted Wisdom Teeth and Canines

An impacted tooth simply means that it is “stuck” and can not erupt into function. Patients frequently develop problems with impacted third molar (wisdom) teeth. These teeth get “stuck” in the back of the jaw and can develop painful infections among a host of other problems (see “Impacted wisdom teeth” under “Procedures”). Since there is rarely a functional need for wisdom teeth, they are usually extracted if they develop problems. The maxillary canine (cuspid or upper eye tooth) is the second most common tooth to become impacted. The canine tooth is a critical tooth in the dental arch and plays an important role in your “bite.” The canine teeth are very strong biting teeth; they have the longest roots of any human tooth. Canines are designed to be the first teeth that touch when your jaws close together; they guide the rest of the teeth into the proper bite position.

Facial Trauma

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons are trained, skilled and uniquely qualified to manage and treat Facial Trauma. These professionals must be well versed in emergency care, acute treatment and long term reconstruction and rehabilitation – not just for physical reasons, but for emotional reasons as well. Injuries to the face, by their very nature, impart a high degree of emotional, as well as physical trauma, upon patients. The science and art of treating these injuries requires special training involving “hands on” experience and a comprehensive understanding of how the treatment provided will influence the patient’s long term function and appearance.

Sleep Apnea

People with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have disrupted sleep and low blood oxygen levels. When obstructive sleep apnea occurs, the tongue is sucked against the back of the throat. This blocks the upper airway and air flow stops. When the oxygen level in the brain becomes low enough, the sleeper partially awakens, the obstruction in the throat clears, and the flow of air starts again, usually with a loud gasp. In complex cases, the bones of the upper and lower jaw may be repositioned to increase the size of the airway (Orthognathic surgery).

TMJ Disorders

TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorders are a family of problems related to your complex jaw joint. If you have had symptoms like pain or a “clicking” sound, you’ll be glad to know that these problems are more easily diagnosed and treated than they were in the past. These symptoms occur when the joints of the jaw and the chewing muscles (muscles of mastication) do not work together correctly. TMJ stands for Temporomandibular Joint, which is the name for each joint (right and left) that connects your jaw to your skull. Since some types of TMJ problems can lead to more serious conditions, early detection and treatment are important.