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ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY

WHAT IS ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY?

Oral and maxillofacial surgery is a surgical specialty focusing on reconstructive surgery of the face, the oral cavity, jaws, head and neck, facial soft and hard tissue trauma as well as facial cosmetic surgery. Out of these treatments, Danthaja offers any procedure that could be carried under local anesthesia. These involve oral surgical procedures including difficult tooth extractions to placement of dental implants.

Because tooth extraction and oral surgery can be unsettling at first, our first objective is to make you as comfortable as possible and to deliver pain-free treatment. The majority of our work entails wisdom (impacted) tooth removal, tooth extraction, orthodontic/surgical operations (such as unerupted tooth exposure), and the identification and treatment of oral illnesses and pathology.

ORAL AND MAXILOFACIAL SURGICAL PROCEDURES OFFERED AT DANTHAJA

  • Tooth extractions
  • Complicated tooth extractions
  • Removal of wisdom teeth (Impacted third molars)
  • Unerupted tooth exposure (canine exposure)
  • Bone grafts (Sinus lifts and ridge augmentation)
  • Oral Pathology (Biopsies)
  • Oral mucosal diseases
  • Oral medicine
  • Corrective jaw surgery (Orthognathic surgery)
  • Botox and fillers for facial rejuvenation

TOOTH EXTRACTIONS (SIMPLE AND COMPLICATED)

For a variety of reasons, you and our doctors may determine that you require tooth extraction. A tooth might sometimes become so damaged that it cannot be saved. Because some teeth are extremely decayed (dental caries), they must be removed. Others may have extensive gum disease (periodontal disease) or be broken (fractured) in an unrepairable fashion. Other teeth may need to be extracted because they are improperly positioned in the mouth (such as impacted teeth) or to prepare for orthodontic treatment. Even the removal of a single tooth can affect the looks of your smile, chewing abilities, and jaw joint, all of which can have a substantial impact on your oral cavity. To avoid these issues, our doctors will go over alternatives to extractions as well as tooth replacement.

WISDOM TEETH REMOVAL (IMPACTED THIRD MOLARS)

Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, are the most posterior teeth in the mouth. These teeth typically begin to erupt and become visible in the mouth between the ages of 17 and 25 years.  They are usually the last teeth to develop and are located in the back of your mouth, behind your second molars. It is normal to experience pain, swelling, or pressure in the back of the mouth when wisdom teeth develop. However, not everyone experiences pain. Even with little to no pain, wisdom teeth can still cause health problems and should be extracted promptly. If there is enough space, wisdom teeth can sometimes entirely erupt through the gum line into the dental arch.  When this happens, it is possible that the tooth does not need to be extracted, but this is uncommon. The majority of wisdom teeth will either partially erupt through the gums or remain trapped beneath the gums. This is referred to as impaction. When a wisdom tooth partially emerges through the gums (impacted third molar), it attracts food and microorganisms. Wisdom teeth, if left untreated, can cause the following problems and more:

  • Pain and swelling
  • Chronic bad breath, caused by infection
  • Cysts or tumors that form around an infected wisdom tooth
  • Jaw stiffness
  • Damage to surrounding bone and gum tissue

With an oral examination and x-rays of the mouth, our specialists can evaluate the position of the wisdom teeth and predict if there are present or future potential problems. Studies have shown that early evaluation and treatment result in a superior outcome for the patient. Patients are generally first evaluated in their mid-teenage years by their dentist, orthodontist, or by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. At a consultation visit at “Danthaja”, our specialist will complete an oral examination and we will take necessary scans (or X-rays) of your mouth.

To optimize patient comfort, all outpatient surgery is performed under a suitable anesthetic. We will give the chosen anesthetic on the day of surgery. Once you are at ease, your oral surgeon will use forceps to remove any erupted wisdom teeth. Impacted teeth must be surgically removed. To accomplish this, your surgeon will make an incision in the gum tissue to gain access to the tooth, which will then be removed after bone removal and tooth sectioning. Stitches will be placed at the extraction sites as needed, and you will wait until the anesthetic wears off. You should avoid working or going to school on the day of surgery. Depending on the complexity of the treatment and your surgeon’s instructions, most patients are able to resume their normal routine within a few days of surgery.

IMPACTED TEETH (CANINES)

When teeth become caught beneath the gums and remain buried, they are said to be impacted. “Danthaja” can assist you if you or your child has buried canines. We can collaborate with you, our orthodontist, and our surgeon to assist the canine in erupting into the child’s mouth. When canines become impacted, it is critical to treat them promptly without a delay. Longer the canines remain trapped beneath the gums, the more difficult it will be for other teeth to emerge naturally. Therefore, timely treatment of such impacted canines should not be deferred unless you are ready to accept more problems pertaining to surrounding teeth or jaw bone.

PROBLEMS OF THE JAW JOINT (TMJ DISORDERS).

The joint that your jaw makes with the skull is called “temporomandibular joint or TMJ”. TMJ disorders are a group of issues that affect your jaw joint. Our OMF surgeons are experts in TMJ disorders and can diagnose and treat your TMJ issues. A feeling of discomfort, tightness, pain, clicking or snapping sounds in your jaw, sudden jaw locking may suggest that you are suffering from an undiagnosed TMJ problem. Once diagnosed, the primary aim of TMJ treatment is to alleviate pain. TMJ issues are treatable, but it takes time and continuous care. Treatment will vary based on the severity and nature of your TMJ problems.  In general, the most effective therapies are a combination of self-care measures and expert assistance.

DISEASES OF THE ORAL & MAXILLOFACIAL REGION /OMF PATHOLOGY

We provide diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of oral disorders and conditions, from simple infections to oral cancer, at “Danthaja”. If you observe any irregularities, lumps, or changes in the appearance and feel of your mouth’s lining, you may be experiencing the first stage of a disease/pathological process. At “Danthaja”, we offer examinations of the maxillofacial region and oral cavity, perform biopsies and surgery for oral and maxillofacial pathologies.  While most changes in the mouth are harmless, it is always wiser to have an expert OMF surgeon look in to it, to ensure it is not something to worry about. We see many different forms of oral and facial disorders in our office, the most dangerous out of all being oral cancer.

CORRECTIVE JAW SURGERY (ORTHOGNATHIC SURGERY)

Orthognathic surgery (also known as corrective jaw surgery) encompasses any technique that corrects bite problems or skeletal problems with the upper or lower jaw targeted to improve facial esthetics. Hundreds of orthognathic surgical treatments have been performed by our specialists. The goal is to improve a person’s bite and facial harmony, as well as to increase the size of the airway.

FACIAL TRAUMA

Facial injuries occur unexpectedly and can carry a great deal of distress as it affects ones’ appearance. When this occurs, the most qualified practitioner to treat facial injuries is an OMF surgeon, because an OMF surgeon is well trained in both oral and facial soft and hard tissue handling to restore the pre-injurious state of ones’ face.

Injuries caused by facial trauma include

  • Fractures of the jaw and/or other facial bones
  • Fractures of teeth or avulsions(tooth coming out of the socket)
  • Cuts to the face

Oral Surgery Services is available at “Danthaja”, for all of your oral and maxillofacial demands, including emergencies. Patients’ safety, comfort and care are our prime objectives. The optimal course of therapy will be determined by the degree and location of your injury.

BONE GRAFTING

Bone grafting techniques are used to replace bone that has been lost or reduced as a result of missing teeth or other facial diseases. At our cutting-edge surgical facilities at “Danthaja”, our oral surgeons

perform bone grafting treatments. Many patients who want dental implants must first undergo bone grafting to repair the bone beneath the dental arch. Previously, implant placement was impossible if there was too much bone loss, but breakthroughs in bone grafting techniques have enabled many people to have durable, permanent dental implants. To make the process as efficient and feasible, bone grafting techniques are sometimes performed concurrently with a tooth extraction.

There are several types of bone grafting techniques available, and depending on your condition, you may require one or more of the following:

  • Sinus lift – Will add bone to the area of the maxillary sinus so there is enough bone to place a dental implant in the upper canine and premolar area.
  • Socket preservation – After tooth extraction, socket preservations protect the bone around the empty tooth socket. To limit the number of treatments for the patient, the oral surgeon may put the bone transplant at the same time the tooth is pulled.
  • Ridge expansion – A ridge expansion increases the width of the alveolar ridge to make space for implants.
  • Major bone grafting – Major bone grafting and tissue regeneration treatments are utilized to repair jaw deformities caused by trauma, tumor surgery or birth malformations. For more complex treatments, bone is usually extracted from another place of the patient’s body. Some large bone grafting treatments necessitate an overnight stay in a hospital or care facility, but the majority of these procedures can be performed as outpatient procedures.

ZYGOMATIC IMPLANTS

“Danthaja” is one of the few practices in Sri Lanka that provides life-changing zygomatic dental implants to patients who have lost teeth in the upper jaw and are unable to have dental implants due to extreme jawbone deterioration and lack of chewing strength. Zygomatic implants allow our patients to achieve maximum oral function and an aesthetically pleasing smile.

NON-SURGICAL FACIAL AESTHETICS

These minor procedures are non-invasive techniques to improve your facial look without surgery or recuperation. Despite the fact that many places use non-doctors (beauticians, nurses, or estheticians) for these treatments, only certified surgeons perform all, including non-surgical, facial aesthetic procedures in our practice at “Danthaja”. Our doctors are board-certified in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery by the Post Graduate Institute of Medicine (PGIM). So you’d be assured that all of your care will be delivered by specialists and experts.

  • BOTOX – Botox injections will temporarily reduce the underlying facial muscle activity, smoothing out mild to severe frown lines, crow’s feet, and forehead wrinkles. It works on the majority of facial wrinkle lines, including those between the brows, on the forehead, around the eyes, on the nose, and around the lips. Botox injections can also be used to slim the face by reducing the bulkiness of the jaw muscles. Furthermore, Botox can be used to treat TMJ disorders and other types of facial pain and headaches by relaxing certain stiffened facial and masticatory muscles. Because we utilize the finest and tiniest needles available, these injections are nearly painless.

  • Dermal Fillers – Natural substances are used to replace lost facial volume using fillers. Natural hyaluronic acids are injected into the facial tissues to treat moderate to severe facial folds such as nasolabial wrinkles, tear trough defects, and lip enhancements. They are also used to correct the volume loss and hollowness associated with facial ageing, both directly and through new collagen formation.