Oral Surgery

Not only do our expert prosthodontists here at Pacific Northwest Prosthodontics provide dental restorations such as dental implants, crowns, and bridges, but they also perform oral and maxillofacial surgery.

You may be wondering what exactly oral and maxillofacial surgery is. It’s surgery done to correct a wide range of injuries, defects, and diseases that can affect the head, neck, face, and jaw, as well as both the hard and soft tissues of the mouth and the entire maxillofacial area.

Whether you are having trouble with your wisdom teeth or injured your jaw in a car accident, an oral or maxillofacial surgeon is the expert who can help repair any damage and set you on the path to healing. Our oral and maxillofacial surgeons provide many services. Learn more about how our experts can help you.

Types of Oral and Maxillofacial Conditions

There are many reasons you might seek out an oral and maxillofacial surgeon such as Pacific Northwest Prosthodontics.

Facial cosmetic surgery is something you might immediately think of when considering reasons to visit an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. There are many procedures which fall under this umbrella, including, but not limited to:

  • Botox treatment
  • Facelifts
  • Eyelid surgery
  • Nasal surgery
  • Cheekbone implants

There are many other procedures performed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. For example, if you’ve suffered a nerve injury to your face due to a trauma of some kind, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon can work with you to restore or manage this injury. If your child has a cleft lip or a palate deformity, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon can help repair the lip and/or palate so your child will be able to eat, speak, and swallow properly.

Cancer of the jaw, face, neck, oral cavity, or thyroid can all leave behind damage. In addition to performing biopsies of any tissue that is suspected to be cancerous, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon can restore an area that has been damaged due to the removal of cancerous bone or tissue. Accidents happen all the time and can impact the facial area. No matter which area has been injured—be it the jaw, nose, cheeks, teeth, or forehead—an oral and maxillofacial surgeon can provide care to heal and restore the damage done in the accident.

If your jaw has become misaligned due to a poor bite, grinding and clenching, or an accident, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon can put the jaw back in place to relieve pain and ensure everything is properly aligned. An oral and maxillofacial surgeon can also help relieve pain caused by TMJ (temporomandibular joint disorder). Oral and maxillofacial surgeons also extract teeth when necessary—including wisdom teeth—and provide dental appliances such as implants or bridges to take care of the gaps left behind by the extraction. (Although wisdom teeth are usually just extracted and not replaced.)

Many of the procedures performed by oral and maxillofacial surgeons require some type of anesthesia. When oral and maxillofacial surgeons are going through their training, they are required to complete a rotation in medical anesthesia, learning to evaluate patients, administer anesthesia, and monitor patients during and post-anesthesia. If you require anesthesia for your procedure, your oral and maxillofacial surgeon will walk you step-by-step through the process.

What to Expect at the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon’s Office

When you visit the oral and maxillofacial surgeon, a process will be followed to ensure you receive the exact treatment your condition requires. First, your oral and maxillofacial surgeon will sit down with you to learn more about you. They will want to know about your overall health, any medications you may be taking, and what your symptoms are.

Next, the surgeon will perform a thorough exam of your mouth and any areas affected by your condition. They may take x-rays or do 3D scans to get a detailed picture of all the structures of your mouth, jaw, and face. Finally, once the surgeon has a clear sense of your needs, they will outline a course of treatment, offering you options that will resolve, restore, and/or relieve your symptoms.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

If your oral and maxillofacial surgeon has recommended surgery for you, that could take several forms. Some surgeries can be done during one in-office visit, and you’ll be able to go home to recover within a couple of hours after completion of the procedure. Other surgeries may take several visits to achieve the desired results.

Remember that oral and maxillofacial surgeons are well-trained in anesthesia, and they will go over those options with you. While some procedures may only require a local anesthetic, others may require light sedation, and still others a deeper sedation. You will have ample time following your procedure to recover enough to head home. You’ll know ahead of time what type of anesthesia you’ll be having—and if you’ll need a ride home.

Your oral and maxillofacial surgeon will go over the aftercare requirements following your procedure. The surgeon may have placed stitches or packed an area with gauze, and they’ll offer guidance about how to manage those. You may also need to follow a special diet for a while after your surgery. Your surgeon will cover all the specifics. They may also prescribe pain medication you can take for when the anesthesia completely wears off. A follow-up visit should be scheduled for the surgeon to check on your healing progress, remove any stitches, and go over any next steps.

Your Local Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon

Whether you’re dealing with the effects of a genetic condition, an accident, or a disease, it’s important to find an oral and maxillofacial surgeon you trust. Dealing with your mouth, jaw, or other areas of your face requires a delicate and skilled touch.

If you’re in the Spokane, WA, area, and you’re in need of an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, consider giving us a call at Pacific Northwest Prosthodontics. We provide a range of services, from installing dental implants to pulling wisdom teeth to repairing cleft lips.

We want to help restore your smile. Don’t hesitate—contact us today.