When you have oral health concerns or want to get a routine checkup, you may wonder if you should see a dentist or an oral surgeon. In deciding, it’s important to know just what an oral surgeon is!

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are dental specialists recognized by the American Dental Association. They are surgically trained in a hospital-based residency program for a minimum of four years after graduating from dental school. They train alongside medical residents in internal medicine, general surgery, and anesthesiology, and spend time in otolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat), plastic surgery, emergency medicine, and other specialty areas.

What Oral Surgeons Do

Oral and facial surgeons have the knowledge and expertise that uniquely qualifies them to diagnose and treat a number of functional and aesthetic conditions of the bone, skin, and muscle of the face, mouth, and jaw. This includes but is not limited to:

• Dental implant surgery
• Wisdom teeth extraction
• Other extractions
• Endodontic surgery
• Facial aesthetic surgery
• Facial trauma
• Cleft lip/palate
• TMJ/TMD and facial pain
• Oral cancer

In addition, oral surgeons are trained in all aspects of anesthesia and sedation methods, including local anesthesia, oral sedation, IV sedation, and general anesthesia. They have received training in airway management, endotracheal intubation, establishing and maintaining intravenous lines, and managing complications and emergencies that may arise during the administration of anesthesia.

Conclusion 

If you have any questions or need to see an oral surgeon, contact Shawn B. Davis at Oral & Facial Surgery Institute, (435) 238-7083 today.

Did you recently get your tooth extracted after it was causing you a lot of pain? To make the post-extraction period a little less painful, we have crafted a short guide on what to do. With adequate care, you can minimize the risk of infections, complications, and further pain. Whenever you overlook dental care, it may result in dire consequences such as a dry socket.

There are plenty of things and activities that dentists have their patients avoid. One of the common examples is avoiding carbonated beverages and fast food. 

What you should not do after a Tooth Extraction 

There are some factors that may trigger pain and discomfort after tooth extraction. It is important to avoid these things for a swift recovery. Prescribed care not only speeds up the recovery process but also reduces the risk of developing a dry socket. 

• Smoking

Smokers have to refrain from smoking for at least a day or two after tooth extraction. This is necessary since the chemicals in tobacco can negatively impact the blood clotting and escalate the chances of developing a dry socket. 

• Avoid Straws

You should also avoid using straws since they may dislodge your clot. Whenever you suck from a straw, it applies pressure on your mouth, which may lead to bleeding. Therefore, it is important that you avoid them altogether in the first few days of tooth extraction. 

• Avoid Spitting

It is evident that you may develop more bleeding and saliva in your mouth. This may lead you to spit more than necessary. Similar to using straws, spitting can apply pressure inside your mouth may increase the chances of bleeding. What you can do instead is let the saliva and blood drip out on the sink. 

• Don’t Probe the Extraction Site from Tongue

After tooth removal, you may feel tempted to feel the site of extraction. But it is integral to keep your tongue away from it since it can dislodge a healing clot. Ultimately, it may lead to a dry socket, which is a super painful experience. 

• Avoid Hard Foods

It is important for you to avoid eating food that requires plenty of chewing. Chewing may exert plenty of pressure inside, which may lead to bleeding. Foods such as fruits with seeds and or small grains can cause discomfort at the extraction site. Therefore, it is integral for you to stay patient for a few days after the extraction. 

• Don’t Use a Toothbrush

We are all aware that oral hygiene is necessary. However, it is important that keep your toothbrush away after the tooth extraction since it dislodges the clot and leads to excessive bleeding. Until your extraction site is fully healed, you shouldn’t use a toothbrush. 

Final Thoughts 

Tooth extraction can prove to be a painful process, but for effective extraction of teeth, you should approach the right professional. Before going ahead with the removal, make sure the dentist possesses adequate certification, skills, and experience in tooth removal. 

For best treatment, contact Oral & Facial Surgery Institute (OFSI) today! Call us to book an appointment right now! Phone: (435) 220-2095, Fax: (435) 673-0330

What Is Endodontic Surgery?

Teeth usually last people their entire life and play an important role in speaking, eating, etc. Therefore, you should do whatever you can to save a tooth at risk of being lost.

Often, getting a root canal is the best and safest option out there to save your teeth. However, it is not always a success. Many people undergo endodontic surgery to save their teeth. Taking an endodontic appointment will likely be the most beneficial decision you take for your tooth. Make one soon to find out whether an endodontic surgery is an answer to your problems. 

What is Endodontic Surgery?

There are two ways to go about saving your teeth that are you could lose: non-surgical endodontic treatment and surgical endodontic treatment. A root canal is a non-surgical orthodontic treatment procedure that is the first step to treating a damaged tooth. 

Your dentist may perform a root canal when the pulp or internal tissues of a tooth are affected by inflammation or infection. Often, this results from tooth decay, trauma, or repeated treatments. 

Often, a root canal is not enough to save the tooth. In such cases, your dentist or endodontist may recommend endodontic surgery. It can effectively treat any inflammation and infection after a root canal treatment. 

What does Surgical Endodontics Involve?

There are many different types of endodontic surgery, including root repair, replantation, etc. But, apicoectomy remains the most common surgical endodontics performed these days. It is an effective surgical treatment to tackle inflammation and infection that couldn’t be treated with non-surgical root canal treatment.

Apicoectomy

Among the many dental and endodontic treatments available to save teeth, a root-end resection or apicoectomy remains the most popular. Endodontists usually recommend this endodontic surgery when infection or inflammation caused by trauma or decay occurs on the bony area at the base of a tooth. You might need an apicoectomy after a root canal treatment.

It entails opening the gum near the tooth to reveal the bone beneath it. Dissecting the gum tissue allows an endodontist to eliminate any tissue experiencing inflammation of infection. Endodontic surgery also involves the removal of the tail end of the root and the damaged gum tissue.

After this, your oral surgeon may also place a filling to close the area where the root’s end was previously there. Then, they will stitch the gums to ensure complete healing. The bone heals around the tooth, finally achieving complete restoration. 

Who Needs an Endodontic Surgery?

In some cases, a tooth does not properly heal after undergoing root canal treatment. Other times, it becomes an infection. An endodontic is the best option to treat inflammation and infection inside the gums. 

Other times, calcium deposits can make it hard for non-surgical treatments to treat a root canal effectively. Endodontic surgery can then clean and seal the root canal. You might also need an apicoectomy if your root surfaces or surrounding bone are damaged. 

In case a dentist is unable to find the cause of certain dental problems, they may recommend endodontic surgery. If your X-ray scans show no issues, but you still experience specific symptoms, your endodontist will perform endodontic surgery to check the tooth root and make a diagnosis. 

Bottom Line

You are very likely to experience oral issues even if one tooth in your mouth is missing. Make sure you make an appointment to see whether you need endodontic surgery to save your tooth. 

If you’re looking for the best oral surgeons and endodontists in town, don’t forget to book your appointment at Oral and Facial Surgery Institute. Being in practice for a couple of years now, Dr. Shawn B. Davis provides the most convenient surgical procedures. Call us at (435) 220-2324 to learn more. 

What You Need to Know About Facial Trauma Treatment

Several situations can lead to facial and head trauma. A few common examples are car accidents, sports injuries, and falls. There are several types of injuries that can lead to facial trauma, including

• Damage to the bones of the head and face – Fractures are most common in the nose and mandible, but you can suffer a fracture to any bone of your face or head. Soft tissue injuries are also possible. In order to get a proper diagnosis, CT scanning is required since it detects fractures of the face bones more consistently than standard X-rays and also identifies soft tissue injuries.
• Damage to the facial nerve or the trigeminal nerve may develop because of face and head trauma.
• Damage to the eye because of direct contact
• A proportion of patients who experience facial trauma also suffer from brain damage, and some of these patients have co-existing cervical spine injury, which should be taken into consideration.

Surgeons are responsible for the initial treatment of substantial face trauma: they will wire or plate the shattered bone, stitch any lacerations to the skin or soft tissue, and graft any soft tissue that suffered severe damage. 

As a result, the majority of the physiotherapy rehabilitation for these patients is post-operative rehabilitation.

Injuries & Treatments

Injury to the Soft Tissue

Seeing a doctor as soon as possible after suffering a face injury is recommended. Some face fractures may be life threatening, so seek medical attention immediately. The actions of others may inflict permanent damage to your respiratory system, airway passageways, central nervous system, or eyesight that cannot be restored.

Injury to the Bone

When a bony injury occurs, surgical treatment is often necessary. This may include the use of wires or plating, as well as more extensive surgical methods to restore the injured bone, such as bone grafting.

Phase of Proliferation

The body continues to mend after the surgical repair processes have been finished, resulting in the formation of scar tissues. Approximately 2-3 weeks pass between the formation of scar tissue and the formation of collagen; during this period, there is a slowdown of scar tissue growth that lasts for the next 4-6 months. Collagen is the primary component of scar tissue, and it is laid down during this phase.

Thereafter, there comes the remodeling (also known as maturation) phase, during which the scar tissue continues to rebuild and remodel, becoming more organized and functional, and becoming more comparable to the tissue it is attempting to restore. This procedure might take up to a year to complete.

Rehabilitation

When the surgeons give the go-ahead, the rehabilitation process should begin immediately.

Manual treatments applied to the soft tissues are widely used with the goal of returning the flexibility of the soft tissues to the patient. Given the nature of scar tissue, it has a propensity to lose both elasticity and length throughout the healing process, which may result in a restricted range of motion.

Once the length of the tissue has been determined, the patient should be urged to move the afflicted part of the face actively via the newly achieved range of motion. These exercises are referred to as Active Exercises.

Overall, in some cases surgery is the most appropriate approach to help you heal efficiently after experiencing facial trauma. In these events, an expert oral surgeon should always be consulted.

Conclusion

Being in practice for a couple of years now, we provide the most convenient dental and facial services. If you have any questions or concerns about facial trauma treatment, set an appointment with Dr. Davis, DMD at Oral & Facial Surgery Institute today or call us at (435) 628-1100.

When a tooth gets impacted there are issues that can arise. First, your teeth may be pushed toward each other, causing a crooked smile. Second, your impaction may cause intense, radiating pain into your tooth, jaw, and face. Third, the impaction can lead to infection when your teeth are being moved unnaturally, leading to tight pockets that can harbor bacteria and germs. For this reason, knowing the warning signs of tooth impaction is important. 

First Sign – Swelling

If at any point in time your cheek, face, jaw, or gums are swelling, that is a clear sign to seek professional guidance because you may have an impacted tooth or an infection.

Second Sign – Pain

Though pain may happen in your mouth for a variety of reasons, if your gums, cheek, jaw, or teeth are in pain you should always see an oral health specialist. They can give you a concrete answer to where your pain is stemming from, and how to treat it and provide comfort. One of the most common signs of tooth impaction is a throbbing pain in the area.

Third Sign – Unusual Bad Odor

If you notice that your mouth has changed from its original smell in a negative way, one possible explanation is an impacted tooth. If this is the case, your oral surgeon can remove the impacted tooth and get you a treatment plan to restore the natural smell of your breath and teeth.

Conclusion

There are several ways to be alerted to an impacted tooth before a severe impaction takes place. Always pay attention to your mouth and how it’s changing and feeling. If you feel like you may have a tooth impacted, Shawn B. Davis at Oral & Facial Surgery Institute can help. Call the office today (435) 238-7083 if you have questions or want to discuss your concerns with a professional.