Facial injuries are problematic for many patients and typically produce significant discomfort. When patients encounter traumatic dental or facial injuries, facial surgery performed by an oral surgeon may be necessary to restore a patient’s oral health and appearance. Unlike other parts of the body, a tooth does not self-heal and when damaged requires professional treatment from dentists and oral surgeons.
If a tooth has become knocked out or lodged into the gums by a facial injury, we encourage you to contact your dentist or our oral surgeon as soon as possible. Patients should treat a facial or dental injury as an emergency and act quickly to receive proper care. When a tooth is forcefully moved from its socket, it will die without treatment. For this reason, patients should place a knocked out tooth or its pieces in milk or inside their cheeks until they can see their dentist. Patients should avoid touching the injured area or moving the tooth from or within its socket. [pullquote]When patients encounter traumatic dental or facial injuries, facial surgery performed by an oral surgeon may be necessary to restore a patient’s oral health and appearance.[/pullquote]
Some traumatic injuries may damage facial bones and soft tissues such as the gums as well. In these instances, making an emergency appointment with an oral surgeon is best. Oral surgeons are trained to handle facial injuries and dental emergencies including immediate treatment and future reconstructive procedures. In some cases, your oral surgeon will work with general dentists and dental specialists such as endodontists to improve the odds of a tooth’s survival and restore oral health.
When injured teeth cannot be saved with endodontic treatment such as root canal therapy or with restorative dentistry, teeth may be replaced with dental implants. As a permanent replacement tooth, our oral surgeon will surgically insert a small, screw-like implant into the jawbone to replace a tooth’s roots. A dental crown is then attached to the implant to fill in the empty tooth socket. Dental implants function almost like natural teeth and if the crown is made from porcelain, these replacement teeth are practically undetectable to others.
Because patient comfort is a high priority with our team, our oral surgeon will administer anesthetic and sedative medication during procedures to ensure that patients are relaxed and at ease.
To schedule an appointment, call our office at 817-552-3223 today.
