Oral Surgery as a Treatment for Facial Trauma

If you have experienced any type of facial injury, then there are many benefits to talking with an oral surgeon to learn about treatments that can be used to restore your smile. Oral and Maxillofacial surgeons are trained specifically to help with all types of facial traumas, and these treatments are beneficial in a variety of situations.

Do You Need Dental Surgery?

There are various accidents that might result in a requirement for dental surgery. Facial trauma can be caused by any of these situations:

• Car accidents
• Sports injury
• Workplace injuries
• Violence

An accidental injury is unexpected, and it can have a lasting impact on the person, especially if they don’t take advantage of the right treatment options. Many times, the patient is impacted by both physical and emotional trauma, which is why it is essential that a specialist is involved to restore both functionality and appearance.

One of the reasons that a dental surgeon should be consulted after facial trauma occurs is because long-term complications could potentially hinder regular daily activities. For example, untreated facial trauma might affect a person’s ability to eat, swallow, speak and breathe. Even if the problem seems somewhat insignificant right now, bigger issues can develop over time without the right type of treatment.

Consulting a Doctor and an Oral Surgeon

After facial trauma, it is necessary to talk with both your regular doctor and an oral surgeon who specializes in reconstructive surgery. The general doctor might make recommendations about overall health and wellness, but an oral and maxillofacial surgeon will have the expertise that is needed to treat the teeth, jaw, gums, mouth, and surrounding facial tissues.

Oral surgeons complete an extra four years of hospital-based surgical training after they are finished with their doctorate of dental surgery (D.D.S.). Dr. Ads has gone through this additional training, which gives him the expertise to treat all types of injuries related to facial trauma. He will work alongside your doctor, to identify the most effective dental treatments for your individual needs.

Types of Facial Trauma Treatments

There are a variety of treatments that might be used after facial trauma occurs. Typically, these injuries require hospitalization, and the treatment might use plating and wiring to re-position the jaw. Sometimes, the wires and rubber bands are used in a way to hold the jaw together during the healing process.

If teeth were knocked out during the accident, then an oral surgeon can re-plant the original teeth, or place implants to restore the appearance of function of your smile. Even minor facial injuries need to be assessed by an oral surgeon, in order address all functional and cosmetic concerns.

For more information about dental treatments after facial trauma, contact us at Oramax to schedule a consultation.