What counts as reconstructive oral surgery, and why could your dentist recommend it? Our Calgary dentists provide some facts, and signs of when patients may need reconstructive oral surgery.
What is reconstructive oral surgery?
Accidents happen every day – from falls to incidents at work, sports injuries, car accidents or facial trauma, an injury to your teeth and mouth can be scary and stressful. They can also impact your oral health long-term.
An oral surgeon may recommend this dental surgery procedure to restore the appearance and function of your smile. Facial reconstruction surgery can actually be broken into two categories: soft tissue injuries and fractures.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue injuries cover trauma to the gums or skin, such as cuts on the tongue, lips or inside of your cheek. These may also include lacerations to the hard or soft palate.
Fractures
If the tiny bones in your mouth are injured - including the teeth, upper or lower jaw or facial bones - they could need reconstructive surgery. The complexity of the procedure will depend on the severity of the facial injuries, as well as the location. The forehead or nasal cavities might require a larger reconstructive surgery.
A jaw defect as a result of trauma or earlier surgery (e.g. ablative tumour surgery) can drastically impact your quality of life in terms of appearance and function – everything from swallowing and eating to speaking, appearance and self-confidence 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 facial injuries caused by trauma can cause difficulties with eating, speaking, and living a good quality of life. Dentists and dental surgeons 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 Market Mall Dental Care is uniquely qualified to provide comprehensive surgical care, guiding you through every stage of treatment, including:
- Ablative resection
- Microvascular reconstruction
- Dental implant placement
Though the idea of reconstructive oral surgery can be intimidating, our dental and oral surgery team at Market Mall Dental Care is here to answer any questions you may have and address concerns during treatment.
