A number of conditions may require oral surgery, including:
Impacted teeth
Wisdom teeth, otherwise known as third molars, are the last
set of teeth to develop. Sometimes these teeth emerge from the gum
line and the jaw is large enough to allow room for them, but most
of the time, this is not the case. More often, one or more of these
third molars fails to emerge in proper alignment or fails to fully
emerge through the gum line and becomes entrapped or "impacted"
between the jawbone and the gum tissue. Impacted wisdom teeth can
result in swelling, pain, and infection of the gum tissue
surrounding the wisdom teeth. In addition, impacted wisdom teeth
can cause permanent damage to nearby teeth, gums, and bone and can
sometimes lead to the formation of cysts or tumors that can destroy
sections of the jaw. Therefore, dentists recommend people with
impacted wisdom teeth have them surgically removed.
It's not just wisdom teeth that sometimes become impacted and
need to be removed. Other teeth, such as the cuspids and the
bicuspids, can become impacted and can cause the same types of
problems described with impacted wisdom teeth.
Tooth loss
Dental implants are an option for tooth loss due to an
accident or infection or as an alternative to dentures. The
implants are tooth root substitutes that are surgically anchored in
place in the jawbone and act to stabilize the artificial teeth to
which they are attached. Suitable candidates for dental implants
need to have an adequate bone level and density, must not be prone
to infection, and must be willing to maintain good oral hygiene
practices.
Jaw-related problems
- Unequal jaw growth.
In
some individuals, the upper and lower jaw fail to grow properly.
This can cause difficulty in speaking, eating, swallowing, and
breathing. While some of these problems -- like improper teeth
alignment -- can be corrected with braces and other
orthodontic appliances, more serious problems require oral surgery
to move all or part of the upper jaw, lower jaw, or both into a new
position that is more balanced, functional, and healthy.
- Improve fit of dentures. For
first-time denture wearers, oral surgery can be done to correct any
irregularities of the jaws prior to creating the dentures to ensure
a better fit. Oral surgery can also help long-term denture wearers.
Supporting bone often deteriorates over time, resulting in dentures
that no longer fit properly. In severe cases, an oral surgeon can
add a bone graft to areas where little bone remains.
- Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.
Dysfunction of the TMJ, the small
joint in front of the ear where the skull and lower jaw meet, is a
common source of headache and facial pain. Most patients with TMJ
disorders can be successfully treated with a combination of oral
medications, physical therapy, and splints. However, joint surgery
is an option for advanced cases and when the diagnosis indicates a
specific problem in the joint.