SERVICES

FACIAL TRAUMA | WISDOM TEETH | DENTAL IMPLANTS | BONE GRAFTING | IMPACTED TOOTH | FRENECTOMY | ORAL BIOPSY

FACIAL TRAUMA

The Oral Surgeon at Desert Valley is experienced in treating all types of facial injuries, from loosened teeth to fractures of the jaws, cheekbones, nose, orbits (eye sockets) and skull, as well as soft tissue injuries. Our surgeons are specialist consultants for facial trauma at several valley medical centers, including Mercy Gilbert and Chandler Regional. If you or a loved one is in need of a facial trauma surgeon, our providers may be consulted by the emergency department to offer expertise and treatment.

WISDOM TEETH

In most cases, the removal of wisdom teeth is performed under local anesthesia, laughing gas (nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesia) or general anesthesia. These options as well as the surgical risks will be discussed with you before the procedure is performed. Following surgery, you may experience some swelling and mild discomfort, which are part of the normal healing process. Cold compresses may help decrease the swelling, and medication prescribed by your Oral Surgeon can help manage the discomfort. You may be instructed to modify your diet following surgery and later progress to more normal foods. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

DENTAL IMPLANTS

Dental implants are changing the way people live! They are designed to provide a foundation for replacement teeth which look, feel, and function like natural teeth. The person who has lost teeth regains the ability to eat virtually anything and can smile with confidence, knowing that teeth appear natural and that facial contours will be preserved.

The implants themselves are tiny titanium posts which are inserted into the jawbone where teeth are missing. These metal anchors act as tooth root substitutes. They are surgically placed into the jawbone. The bone bonds with the titanium, creating a strong foundation for artificial teeth. Small posts are then attached to the implant which protrude through the gums. These posts provide stable anchors for artificial replacement teeth. Implants also help preserve facial structure, preventing the bone deterioration that occurs when teeth are missing.

BONE GRAFTING

Over a period of time, the jawbone associated with missing teeth atrophies or is reabsorbed. This often leaves a condition in which there is poor quality and quantity of bone suitable for placement of dental implants. In these situations, most patients are not candidates for placement of 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, it also gives us a chance to restore functionality and esthetic appearance.

Bone grafting can repair implant sites with inadequate bone structure due to previous extractions, gum disease or injuries. The bone is obtained from a tissue bank. Sinus bone grafts are also performed to replace bone in the posterior upper jaw. In addition, special membranes may be utilized that dissolve under the gum and protect the bone graft and encourage bone regeneration. This is called guided bone regeneration or guided tissue regeneration.

EXPOSURE & BRACKETING OF AN IMPACTED TOOTH

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 problem. Since there is rarely a functional need for wisdom teeth, they are usually extracted if they develop problems. The maxillary cuspid (upper eye tooth) is the second most common tooth to become impacted. The cuspid tooth is a critical tooth in the dental arch and plays an important role in your “bite”. The cuspid teeth are very strong biting teeth which have the longest roots of any human teeth. They are designed to be the first teeth that touch when your jaws close together so they guide the rest of the teeth into the proper bite.

Normally, the maxillary cuspid teeth are the last of the “front” teeth to erupt into place. They usually come into place around age 13 and cause any space left between the upper front teeth to close tight together. If a cuspid tooth gets impacted, every effort is made to get it to erupt into its proper position in the dental arch. The techniques involved to aid eruption can be applied to any impacted tooth in the upper or lower jaw, but most commonly they are applied to the maxillary cuspid (upper eye) teeth. 60% of these impacted eye teeth are located on the palatal (roof of the mouth) side of the dental arch. The remaining impacted eye teeth are found in the middle of the supporting bone but stuck in an elevated position above the roots of the adjacent teeth or out to the facial side of the dental arch.

FRENECTOMY

Frenectomy is a surgical procedure wherein a thin layer of tissue called frenulum or frenum observed on various parts of the body is removed. So far as the dental area is concerned, frenectomy is either performed inside the middle of upper lip , which is called labial frenectomy, or under the tongue, called lingual frenectomy. Frenectomy as it is a very common dental procedure in dental world and is performed both on children and adults.

Labial frenectomy is very common with patients undergoing denture treatment in order to get the proper fit of denturesor patients who have tissues attached to centre of upper lip and causing recession of gums or gap between the upper front teeth called central incisors.

In the case of lingual frenectomy, the dentist removes the tissues / lingual frenum developed too close to the tip of the tongue which is either causing speech problems or hindering the development of teeth. Lingual Frenectomy is quite common in the case of children diagnosed with tongue tie or clipping of tongue problem.

ORAL BIOPSY

In general, you should take note of any changes occurring in the skin of the gums, the skin on the inside of the cheek, the tongue, or the floor or roof of the mouth, or any swelling in the bony areas of the mouth or face. If you or your dentist or oral surgeon notes any irregular skin patches or growths of any kind, a biopsy will be done to diagnose the condition. While the large majority of such growths are benign (not cancerous), it is very important to determine this for sure with a laboratory test. Furthermore, many benign growths may require treatment, removal or monitoring as well.