In what cases should you contact a dental surgeon?

In what cases should you contact a dentist surgeon?

As planned

A visit to a dental surgeon is mandatory for children from 1 to 3 years old. During this time, it is necessary to carry out from one to several examinations by a specialist in this profile. The doctor should first examine the child at 1 year of age. By this age, approximately 8 baby teeth have already grown, the rest are in the process of erupting. The doctor checks them for the presence of caries, inflammatory diseases, assesses the sensitivity of the enamel, and checks their correct location. At this time, bite pathologies can be detected in time.

Routine examinations are also indicated for patients with neoplasms in the maxillofacial area, as well as for persons who have previously undergone surgery. In this case, the doctor observes the pathology for progression or degeneration when it comes to benign tumors, fistulas, keloid scars, etc.

Unscheduled

Unscheduled assistance from a dental surgeon may be needed in many cases. It is necessary for a number of diseases and medical problems. Here is a list of the main ones:

• Removal of teeth and administration of anesthesia . A dental surgeon can remove damaged and diseased teeth, as well as administer anesthesia (infiltration and conduction).
• Placement of dental implants . A dental surgeon can help with dental implants. He works on bone reconstruction in the areas where implants will be placed. If necessary or desired by the patient, the dental surgeon can also modify the gum tissue around the implants to create a more natural and attractive appearance.
• Treatment of facial injuries . Dental surgeons can treat small and complex lacerations on the face, restore broken jaws and facial bones, and nerve endings. Their expertise includes facial injuries that involve the tissues of the mouth, jaw, cheeks, nose, eye sockets and forehead.
• Assessment of pathological conditions . Oral surgeons treat patients with benign cysts and tumors of the mouth and face, malignant neoplasms, and severe infections of the mouth, salivary glands, jaws and neck.
• Elimination of pain syndrome . A dental surgeon can diagnose and treat facial pain that is caused by temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problems.
• Reconstructive and cosmetic surgery . A dental surgeon can correct problems with the jaw, facial bone and soft tissues of the face that have arisen as a result of injury or removal of tumors. Such corrective surgeries restore the shape and function of the maxillofacial area.
• Correction of birth defects . Oral surgeons also surgically correct congenital defects of the face and skull, such as cleft lip or cleft palate.

Main goals

A specialist in the field of dental surgery performs the following procedures:

• Surgical intervention for the treatment of pathologies of oral tissues;
• Tooth extraction;
• Surgical procedures of jaws, facial bones, nerve endings;
• Recovery after injury to hard tissues of the facial region, elimination of other problems;
• Removal of neoplasms, including cystic ones, located in the mouth, including on the gum tissue;
• Preventing the development of inflammation and infections in dentistry;
• Operations on the glands of the oral cavity.

The specialist works together with doctors in the field of dental prosthetics and preparatory procedures for dental events.

Can the temperature rise after tooth extraction, and what should be done? Read here whether wisdom teeth should be removed.

At this address https://dentist-pro.ru/xirurgiya/udalenie-zubov/kak-izbezhat-alveolita-posle.html we will talk about the tactics of treating alveolitis that developed after tooth extraction.

What diseases does the dentist treat?

Among the main diseases treated by a dental surgeon:

• periodontitis;
• diseases of the TMJ (temporomandibular joint);
• periostitis;
• osteomyelitis;
• tumors and cysts of the oral cavity;
• diseases of the salivary glands;
• sinusitis;
• abscesses;
• trigeminal nerve diseases;
• phlegmon and others.

A doctor of this profile also diagnoses some specific systemic diseases that manifest themselves in the oral cavity. Among them: syphilis, actinomycosis, scurvy, tuberculosis, etc. For such diseases, treatment is prescribed to the patient by another doctor (infectious disease specialist, virologist, pulmonologist).

How to avoid complications after removal?

Careful adherence to the surgeon’s recommendations will prevent the development of complications. Recommendations include:

1. After removal, do not visit baths/saunas.
2. Don't drink alcohol.
3. Carry out antiseptic treatment of the oral cavity (medicines are prescribed by a doctor).
4. Do not rinse the mouth, but only use oral baths, so as not to wash out the blood clot in the hole.
5. Do not eat spicy, hot or sour foods.
6. If medications are prescribed, be sure to follow the dosage regimen.

Preparing for an appointment with a dentist surgeon

Before going to the dentist, you need to have a hearty snack - after surgical procedures, you should not eat food for several hours. On the eve of the visit, drinking alcohol is contraindicated - it can negatively affect the effect of anesthetics (painkillers will not work). Immediately before visiting a doctor, you need to perform thorough oral hygiene.

Patients who have encountered acute infectious diseases of the ENT organs, rashes in the oral cavity, or herpes on the lips should avoid visiting a specialist. Women are not recommended to undergo surgical procedures on menstruation days, since at this time the body is in a weakened state.

You must bring your medical history, reports from previous examinations, and all x-rays (if available) with you to your appointment.

Work with children

The main feature of dental treatment for children is that the child’s dental system is in constant development and change. Surgery in the early stages of formation of the dentofacial apparatus can lead to malocclusion.

To choose the right treatment tactics, a pediatric dentist of any specialization must know which condition is normal for age and which is a developmental defect.

Peculiarities of the child's psyche, hypertrophied fear of the dental chair, requires the dental surgeon to know the psychology of children, the ability to relieve their feelings of fear and induce relaxation.

Factors of specialist competence

The specialty of a dental surgeon involves broad theoretical and practical knowledge in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of major dental surgical diseases in people of all age groups.

A dental surgeon must have one of two types of education:

• higher education in the specialty “Dentistry” + residency in the specialty “Surgical Dentistry”;
• higher education in the specialty “General Dentistry” and “Dentistry” + retraining in the specialty “Surgical Dentistry”.

It is also important that a dental surgeon has not only professional, but also purely human qualities - attention and participation in his patient, empathy for his condition, sincerity in informing about the course of the disease and the expected consequences.

How does an appointment with a dental surgeon take place?

Like any other specialist, a dental surgeon first of all listens to patients’ complaints and collects anamnesis. He must know everything related to the problem that worries the patient. Then it’s time for a visual inspection. The doctor examines the problem area, and he can use tools such as a dental mirror, spatula, probe and others.

Using light tapping, the doctor identifies the area that is causing pain. If we are talking about soft tissues, palpation is performed. The doctor pays attention to swelling, redness, altered areas of the skin and mucous membranes, as well as the patient’s appearance. How the examination will be carried out directly depends on the specific case.

Cosmetic interventions

Surgical procedures are performed not only for therapeutic purposes. Sometimes it is necessary to correct the shape and structure of fabrics to eliminate aesthetic defects.

There are a number of manipulations, the main ones of which will be discussed below.

Gingivoplasty

The procedure is used for deficiencies in gum tissue , if it is uneven or grows on the teeth, as well as if it is located too low relative to the line of the dentition.

The essence of the method is that with the help of surgical intervention, periodontal tissue is adjusted and its line is aligned.

A patch operation is used; if it is necessary to increase the area, tissue is used from the area where its amount is excessive. After alignment, stitches are applied, rehabilitation lasts up to ten days.

Vestibuloplasty

It is used when it is necessary to expand the oral vestibule. The movement of mimic muscle tissues into the depths of the oral cavity is carried out.

To do this, incisions are made in the soft tissues responsible for stretching the gums. This procedure allows you to avoid oral diseases in the future and improves diction.

Frenuloplasty

It is performed to trim the overgrown frenulum of the upper and lower lips or the membrane under the tongue. The presence of this defect impairs diction and creates general discomfort.

It is performed by making tissue incisions and is performed under local anesthesia.

Elimination of gum recession

Used for thinning gums. The mucosal donor site is taken from the palate . It is grafted into the problem area, after which sutures are applied.

Recovery lasts up to seven days.

Dental surgeon diagnostic methods

In surgical dentistry, instrumental and laboratory diagnostic methods are used. These include:

• taking anamnesis;
• visual and manual inspection;
• temperature diagnostics;
• X-ray examination (x-ray and orthopantomogram);
• electroodontic diagnostics;
• general blood test, etc.

If oncological processes are suspected, the patient is prescribed a biopsy and a series of cytological studies. With their help, you can determine the type of neoplasm, as well as confirm or refute its benignity.

If there are concomitant diseases that are not within the competence of the dental surgeon, the patient may need the help of other specialists. In particular:

• orthodontist;
• orthopedist;
• gastroenterologist;
• oncologist;
• infectious disease specialist;
• allergist, etc.

Responsibilities of the surgeon

To perform operations, it is not enough to obtain a higher education in the specialty “Dentistry”. Additionally, you should undergo retraining or residency in the specialty “Surgical Dentistry”. But theoretical knowledge is not always enough. The best dental surgeon must be able to reassure the patient and set him up morally for a positive outcome of the surgical intervention. Long-term practice and a large number of positive reviews indicate high qualifications.

The job description of a dental surgeon is the main document that should guide a specialist when performing his duties. A qualified dental surgeon must:

• comply with safety precautions and labor protection rules;
• adhere to internal rules;
• timely carry out orders from the management of the medical institution;
• manage lower-level medical personnel;
• provide qualified medical care for identified diseases using modern methods of surgical treatment and diagnosis;
• draw up a patient treatment plan;
• adjust the treatment plan if necessary;
• carry out examinations of patients after surgery in the hospital.

The responsibilities of a dental surgeon are quite varied. Such a specialist not only performs surgical treatment of advanced diseases, but also monitors the work of nurses, monitors the patient’s condition, and maintains working documentation.

Dental surgeon treatment methods

Surgical dentistry provides a wide range of treatments, which include special methods of surgical influence on the tissues of the oral cavity. The specific choice of treatment method depends on the disease. This section of dentistry practices the following treatment methods:

• bone grafting;
• tooth extraction operations;
• aesthetic surgical operations;
• implantation;
• prosthetics;
• resection of soft tissues.

After surgery, anti-inflammatory, antihistamine, antiprotozoal and antibacterial drugs may be prescribed. If pain is present, anesthetics are indicated.

Tooth conservation through partial surgery

The patient is not always referred to a doctor such as a dental surgeon only to necessarily deprive him of a unit of dentition. It also happens that a specialist treats a tooth and tries to preserve its functionality and vital activity as much as possible. Here, the most striking example is the removal of a dental cyst, for example, using cystectomy (removal of the cyst completely) or cystotomy (only the formation cavity is removed). Naturally, this cannot be done without surgery, but it will be performed under anesthesia. Operations involve removing only the affected part of the root and tumor, without in any way affecting the main part of the tooth.

The photo shows the operation of resection of the apex of the tooth root.

The doctor can also perform a resection of the apex of the tooth root in order to ensure its safety and get rid of the source of the inflammatory process.

Of course, manipulations of this kind are very complex, but, nevertheless, this relates directly to the field of activity that a dental surgeon does.