Oral Surgery (cont.)
Other Conditions Treated by Oral Surgery
-
Facial injury repair. Oral surgery is often used to fix fractured
jaws and broken facial bones.
-
Lesion removal and biopsy. Oral surgeons can take a small sample of
abnormal growth or tissue and then send it for laboratory testing for
identification. Some lesions can be managed medically or can be removed by the
oral surgeon.
-
Cleft lip and cleft palate repair. Cleft lip and cleft palate result when all or portions of the mouth and nasal cavity do
not grow together properly during fetal development. The result is a gap in the
lip and/or a split in the opening in the roof of the mouth. Oral surgeons work
as part of a team of healthcare specialists to correct these problems through a
series of treatments and surgical procedures over many years.
-
Facial infections. Pain and swelling in the face, neck or jaws may
indicate an infection. Infections in this area of the body can sometimes
develop into life-threatening emergencies if not treated promptly and
effectively. An oral surgeon can assist in diagnosing and treating this
problem. Surgical treatment, if needed, may include cutting into and draining
the infected area as well as extracting any teeth that might be involved.
-
Snoring/sleep apnea. When conservative methods fail to alleviate
this problem, surgery can be tried. Surgical procedures involve removing the
soft tissues of the oropharynx (an area in the back portion of the mouth) or
the lower jaw. Laser surgery is a newer treatment option. Depending on the
surgical technique used, the laser is used to either slowly scar the palate,
which tightens it, or to remove palate tissue.
Reviewed by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic Department of Dentistry.
Edited by Charlotte E. Grayson, MD,
on May 1, 2005.
Portions of this page © The Cleveland Clinic
2000-2005
Last Editorial Review: 6/17/2008
- Dental Implants - Get information on dental implants, replacement tooth roots that provide anchors for replacement teeth. Learn about costs and the pros and cons of the procedure.
- Sleep Apnea - Learn about sleep apnea, including a description of types of sleep apnea, causes, complications, diagnosis, evaluation, treatments (surgical and non-surgical), and importance of treatment.
- Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ) - Read about temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) causes, symptoms (headaches, jaw popping, ear pain, dizziness, tinnitus), diagnosis and treatment (surgery, medications).
Latest Medical News
Oral Health RSS