Surgical Treatments

Surgical Treatments

Surgical treatments in dentistry involve procedures that require incisions or significant manipulation of oral and facial tissues to address a range of conditions affecting the teeth, gums, jaw, and surrounding structures. These treatments are often used when non-surgical methods are insufficient or inappropriate.

Here's an overview of common surgical treatments in dentistry:

1. Tooth Extraction:
  • Simple Extraction: Removal of teeth that are fully erupted and can be easily removed with forceps.
  • Surgical Extraction: Involves removing teeth that are impacted or not fully erupted, often requiring an incision into the gum and possible removal of surrounding bone.
2. Dental Implants:
  • Implant Placement: Involves surgically placing a titanium post into the jawbone to act as a replacement root for a missing tooth. Once the implant integrates with the bone, a crown or other restoration is attached.
  • Bone Grafting: If there is insufficient bone to support an implant, bone grafting procedures may be performed to build up the bone before implant placement.
3. Periodontal Surgery:
  • Scaling and Root Planing: Removal of teeth that are fully erupted and can be easily removed with forceps.
  • Gum Grafting: Surgical procedure to correct gum recession by adding tissue to areas where the gum has pulled away from the tooth.
  • Flap Surgery: Involves lifting the gums to clean the roots of the teeth and then repositioning the gum tissue.
4. Orthognathic Surgery:
  • Jaw Surgery: Corrects skeletal and dental irregularities, such as misaligned jaws, to improve function and appearance. This may involve repositioning the upper and/or lower jaw.
5. Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery:
  • Reconstructive Surgery: Corrects congenital deformities of the lip and/or palate. This often involves multiple procedures to repair the lip, palate, and possibly other facial structures.
6. Facial Trauma Surgery:
  • Fracture Repair: Surgical treatment of facial bone fractures, including those of the jaw, cheekbones, or eye sockets, often resulting from accidents or injuries.
  • Soft Tissue Repair: Addresses injuries to the soft tissues of the face, including lacerations and avulsions.
7. Oral Pathology:
  • Biopsy: Surgical removal of a tissue sample for examination to diagnose conditions such as oral cancer or other lesions.
  • Tumor Removal: Excision of benign or malignant tumors from the oral cavity or surrounding areas.