Oral Surgery

Uh oh; the pain is back. You’ve got a nagging sensation in your lower jaw that just doesn’t seem to go away; or perhaps it hurts to chew your food because you can’t shake that jabbing feeling on the side of your mouth. From wisdom teeth to problem teeth to uncooperative jaws, many teenagers and adults experience extended bouts of oral pain at some point in their lives. Most of these mouth-related issues do not simply go away on their own. Luckily, plenty of dentists out there specialize in oral surgery and can help eliminate pain through a variety of common procedures.

What is oral surgery?

Oral surgery is any medical procedure that serves to correct problems associated with the mouth, teeth, and jaw. Many dentists who practice oral surgery are also experts in the field of maxillofacial surgery, which involves surgeries relating to the face, sinuses, and neck.

The most common type of oral surgery is wisdom tooth extraction. Most adult mouths only have room for a certain number of teeth. By the time the wisdom teeth are ready to emerge, often there just isn’t enough room for them to break through the surface of the gum, which results in impacted wisdom teeth. When wisdom teeth become impacted, they can throw off the alignment of the rest of your teeth. They are also likely to become infected, as food and debris can easily get trapped inside them if they are not fully emerged. The only way to correct the problem is to extract the wisdom teeth via a simple outpatient surgery performed at the dentist’s office.

Other types of oral surgery include jaw surgery (to treat issues such as TMJ), dental implants, and facial trauma repair. Though less common than wisdom tooth extraction, these procedures are regularly performed by dentists who are trained in oral surgery.

Who needs oral surgery?

Anyone suffering from mouth or facial ailments that can only be treated with surgery should contact a dentist and schedule a consultation for oral surgery. This includes people with impacted wisdom teeth who may not currently be experiencing any discomfort; problems from wisdom teeth can arise out of the blue if the teeth are not removed.

In the majority of cases, oral surgery is not really elective, but rather, a must. Putting off oral surgery will only prolong or, in some cases, worsen, an existing problem.

Benefits of oral surgery

Oral surgery will eliminate the symptoms of whatever specific issue is causing the patient to require the surgery. In the case of wisdom tooth extraction, many patients who previously complained of pain and swelling in the area of the impacted tooth felt much better after the problematic tooth was removed. Similarly, many patients who decided to undergo jaw surgery found that symptoms such as jaw pain, headache, and facial tension went away or diminished significantly after having oral surgery.

Another good thing about oral surgery is that the surgery itself is usually pain-free. Patients are properly sedated and anesthetized during oral surgery for both comfort and safety reasons. In fact, many patients will tell you that having a wisdom tooth extracted is less painful than a routine cavity filling.

Risks of oral surgery

Unfortunately, all medical procedures come with a degree of risk. Whenever anesthesia is used during a procedure, there is an extremely small chance of something going awry. To avoid complications, be sure to disclose any medical allergies to your dentist prior to the procedure.

The specifics risks of oral surgery depend on the type of procedure involved. For example, surgery to extract an impacted lower wisdom tooth carries the risk of damage to the nearby lingual nerve, which can result in temporary or, in rare cases, permanent, numbness in that region of the mouth. Extraction of an upper wisdom tooth carries the risk of sinus damage. Your dentist will discuss the risks involved in the type of oral surgery you need and review your treatment options with you to devise the safest and most effective game plan.

In all cases of commonly-performed oral surgery, the probability of significant, permanent damage is extremely low. Otherwise, oral surgery would not be worth the risk.

While damaging side effects are rare in oral surgery, post-operative discomfort is certainly not uncommon. Different procedures involve different recovery periods, and your dentist will discuss this with you prior to your appointment so that you can prepare accordingly. Your dentist will also provide you with detailed instructions for post-operative care. The more you follow these instructions, the more likely you are to recover quickly and comfortably.

The bottom line

Nobody looks forward to oral surgery, but the benefits of it clearly outweigh the risks. A few days of unpleasantness are certainly worth a lifetime of comfort.

The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.