March 7th, 2019
You might suspect that your wisdom teeth are starting to emerge, but knowing the signs of impacted wisdom teeth can help you be more proactive about your dental care. Impacted wisdom teeth can be extremely painful and can make your life truly miserable until they are removed. Therefore, looking for the early warning signs listed below can help you conquer the problem before it conquers you.
There are three primary signs of impacted wisdom teeth. While every person may not have all three of these signs, you can usually expect to experience at least one of these if your wisdom teeth are impacted.
Unusual Pain
If you are feeling a type of teeth pain you've never felt before, especially when it is focused in the back area of your jaw, this may be a sign that you have a tooth impaction. You may be fortunate enough to catch it early, before all of your wisdom teeth become impacted, if you contact us as soon as you feel the pain.
Swollen Jaw
If your jaw is suddenly swollen and the area feels tender to the touch, you have a high chance of having an impacted tooth. Since the wisdom teeth are set so far back in your jaw, the swelling tends to show itself low in the jaw, towards the ears, when they are impacted.
Bleeding Gums
If your gums are bleeding, something you may notice when you see a pink or red tinged toothbrush, you may be dealing with a wisdom tooth issue. When the wisdom teeth are impacted, they put a lot of pressure on your back teeth and gums, which often leads to bleeding.
Visit our office as soon as possible if you have any of the above signs of impacted wisdom teeth. The sooner you get treatment, the sooner the pain will be behind you for good!
March 1st, 2019
Oral surgery can be used to treat many jaw related issues and is performed by an oral surgeon. Surgery that is performed on the jaw can ultimately help a wide variety of dental issues and also can help improve your appearance.
Corrective Jaw Surgery
Corrective jaw surgery is performed on patients who need dental abnormalities improved; this could include skeletal issues or even misalignment of the teeth and jaw. After surgery the patient will notice a quick improvement of breathing, speaking, and even chewing.
The most common jaw surgeries include the following issues:
- TMJ or TMD is caused when the joint that located in front of the ear causes a patient to suffer with headaches as well as pain in the face. Surgery is a last resort for this problem since many patients can get relief by taking medication, using splints, or going to therapy.
- People who are getting dentures can have surgery performed that will make sure that their new dentures will fit perfectly. Also, after a patient wears dentures for an extended amount of time it can cause the bones to deteriorate. A surgeon can add a bone graph that will stop this process from getting any worse.
- If a patient has a problems with their jaws not growing equally, surgery can help. Without surgery there may be issues with being able to eat or swallow as well as breathing and speaking clearly. Sometimes these issues can be addressed by wearing braces, but with severe cases surgery will be required.
Some other conditions that may need jaw surgery can include the following:
- Extreme wear and tear on the teeth
- Difficulty swallowing
- Difficulty chewing
- Open bite
- Birth defects
- Breathing through the mouth
- Sleep apnea
Jaw surgery can dramatically change your life. We will be able to tell if you will be a good candidate for jaw surgery to correct any dental issues you currently have. Contact our office to find out more.
February 21st, 2019
People undergo oral surgery for a number of different oral- and tooth-related problems, including impacted, infected or abscessed teeth, or problems that cause inflammation.
These procedures are designed to eradicate infection, but on occasion, complications occur, and this may cause other types of infection that require further medical attention. The human body has naturally occurring bacteria; some of which are beneficial, but some bacteria have the potential to be harmful. When the body's immune system is compromised either because of chronic illness (such as diabetes, or other conditions that lower resistance,) or surgery, the potential for infection increases.
What to Expect Following Oral Surgery
During the first few hours following surgery you will most likely be numb and should use caution, especially when eating. You will also be given pain medicine along with the suggestion that you not wait until you are in intense pain to take the medication.
Since you won't be able to brush your teeth in the area where the surgery was performed, you may be given a prescription medication to use as a mouth rinse. Gargling with warm saltwater will reduce swelling and help minimize pain. Be careful about what you eat for at least the first 24 hours; we advise sticking to soft foods such as Jello®, yogurt, smoothies, or soups.
Reasons for Concern
Post oral surgery infection is a rare complication and typically happens most often with people whose immune systems are compromised or those who are diabetic. A possible indication of infection following the surgery is bleeding that is present 24 or more hours following the surgery. Some residual blood is natural during the first few hours following surgery, but it subsides and bleeding should no longer be a concern. Although there may be some swelling following oral surgery, this should also subside, and ice can help with that.
Possible Symptoms of Infection
- Throbbing pain that doesn't respond to pain medication indicates a serious problem.
- Many people develop a fever following surgery, but should return to normal by the next day. If you have a low-grade fever that persists, or increases, contact us immediately.
- Increased swelling to the gums, jaw, or face is often indicative of infection, and it generally gets worse as the infection progresses. Seek prompt medical attention.
- Any oozing discharge such as pus is always indicative of an infection and requires treatment.
If you are a patient with compromised immune system or medical problems for which an infection would be serious, an antibiotic will usually be prescribed. The natural presence of bacteria in the mouth increases the likelihood that bacteria could enter exposed areas. That is why it is so important that only sterile gauze pads be placed in the mouth, and that you gargle with warm saltwater and any other antibacterial gargle that has been prescribed. The presence of any or all of the above problems indicates a possible infection, and you should contact our team at Oral Surgery of Tidewater as soon as possible.
February 14th, 2019
Orthognathic surgery is surgery to correct a wide variety of abnormalities of our patients' jaw and teeth. The surgery is often done in conjunction with orthodontic treatment. While the patient’s appearance may be significantly improved as a result, the primary purpose of the surgery is to correct functional problems including but not limited to:
- Unbalanced facial appearance
- Protruding jaw
- Open bite (upper and lower teeth don’t overlap properly
- Excessive wearing down of the teeth
- Difficulty with chewing or biting
- Chronic mouth breathing
- Sleeping problems such as sleep apnea
- TMJ pain (jaw joint pain)
- Restoring facial injuries
Knowing when to start the orthodontic treatment in preparation for orthognathic surgery can also be tricky if our team at Oral Surgery of Tidewater is treating a teenager. It is important to know when to get started. If orthodontic treatment is initiated too soon and the teenager is still growing, the patient will either need to hold in braces until his or her growth is complete and they are ready for surgery or the braces will have to be removed and then placed again when growth is complete. Neither of these options is attractive since it requires longer time in treatment, which is something all our patients want to avoid. Our team at Oral Surgery of Tidewater strives to get all patients finished with treatment as quickly as possible because it is healthier for the teeth and gums and gives them a beautiful smile to enjoy for a lifetime.
If you are considering orthognathic surgery or you have been told that you need jaw surgery, give us a call to schedule your initial consultation today. At this consultation out team will explain our treatment plan in a way you will understand and we will keep you informed every step of the way.
To schedule your consultation with one of our amazing surgeons call us at, 757-499-6886. If you would like to email us with any questions, our email is info@ostvb.com. We look forward to meeting with you!
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