Oral surgeons are specially educated and trained to perform procedures on the mouth, jaw, neck, or face. This specialist often works alongside a dentist, helping to diagnose and treat certain ailments. There are many conditions that can be treated and corrected with maxillofacial surgery in Indianapolis IN.
Wisdom Tooth Removal
Perhaps the most common reason a person is referred to an oral surgeon is for wisdom tooth removal. If a patient’s wisdom teeth are located in the jaw or below the gum line, it’s necessary to surgically extract them. Most patients are still in their teens when they visit an oral surgeon to have their wisdom teeth removed.
Dental Implants
Implants are quickly becoming one of the most popular treatments for replacing missing teeth. An oral surgeon is called in to surgically place the steel implant post in the patient’s jaw. If needed, the surgeon may also perform a bone graft to ensure the implant is able to correctly fuse in place.
Cleft Lip and Palates
Both a cleft lip and cleft palate are birth defects that happen whenever the mouth doesn’t form properly in the womb. Maxillofacial surgery in Indianapolis IN is used to correct both of these defects. Correcting a cleft lip usually requires a single procedure, while a full cleft palate may require multiple surgeries.
Orthognathic Surgery
Corrective surgery of the jaw is known as orthognathic surgery. It’s often used to correct severe bite issues that are caused by a deformity of the jaw. It may also be used to reduce the pain of TMJ syndrome that is triggered by a physical problem with the jaw socket.
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea occurs whenever a person stops breathing for short amounts of time during sleep. This disorder causes daytime drowsiness, mood swings and low productivity. It may also increase the risk of having a stroke or heart attack. An oral surgeon can treat sleep apnea by surgically unblocking the obstructed airways.
Oral surgeons provide a wide range of surgeries designed to treat problems of the mouth, neck and face. A referral is often needed before making an appointment. Contact us to learn more about dental problems that can be corrected with oral surgery.
