Know Things Related to Oral Surgery

Oral surgery is a surgical procedure to treat oral disorders. Through this procedure, abnormalities that occur in the jaw, both upper and lower jaw, can also be treated. In addition, oral surgery can also treat abnormalities that occur in the teeth and gums. Oral surgery is performed by a dentist specializing in oral surgery. The scope of the disease being managed and the procedures carried out by oral surgeons is quite a lot. However, the most frequently done include:

• Dental implant. A dental implant is a surgical procedure that aims to replace the lost tooth roots and teeth with an artificial tooth root (implant) that is implanted into the gum. With the implanted artificial tooth root, the patient can replace his missing teeth with an artificial tooth that will stick to the implant. Dentures and dental implants will function like real teeth, and can last longer than dentures.
• Wisdom Tooth Surgery. Wisdom teeth are molars that are located at the back of the mouth, and will generally grow at the age of 17-25 years. Wisdom tooth surgery aims to remove wisdom teeth trapped in the gums (impaction), grow in the wrong direction, or the patient's jawbone does not have enough space for the growth of wisdom teeth. With wisdom teeth surgery, patients will avoid various complications due to wisdom teeth that grow improperly, such as infections, cysts, and gum disease.
• Jaw Surgery. Jaw surgery aims to correct abnormalities in the patient's jaw, either in the upper jaw (maxilla) or in the lower jaw (mandible). With jaw surgery, the jaw bones and teeth can be adjusted to function better, especially dental or jaw abnormalities that cannot be treated through orthodontic surgery. Jaw surgery can also improve the patient's face shape.

Indications of Oral Surgery

Patients will be recommended to undergo oral surgery if they have certain diseases. Patients who undergo jaw surgery are patients who have a disease or condition, such as:

• Abnormalities in the jaw, such as the protruding jaw (protruding jaw).
• Headaches that interfere with daily activities due to deformity of the jaw.
• Chewing and speaking disorders, such as overbite, underbite and crossbite.
• Sleep apnea caused by obstruction of the respiratory tract due to deformity of the jaw.

Patients can undergo wisdom teeth surgery if they have a disease or condition, such as:

• Wisdom teeth.
• Suffered from gum disease.
• Cavities in wisdom teeth.
• Wisdom teeth that grow incorrectly.
• The emergence of cysts or abscesses in the gums around the wisdom teeth.
• Cellulitis on the cheeks, tongue or throat.

For dental implants, patients who have one or more missing teeth can undergo dental implants. However, dental implant procedures have requirements, including:

• Having healthy gum and mouth tissue.
• Having a healthy and strong jawbone, and allows for a bone graft.

Warning Oral Surgery

Not all patients can undergo oral surgery procedures. Several conditions can cause a patient unable to undergo oral surgery because it can result in postoperative complications. A patient is not permitted to undergo a dental implant if:

• Suffering from diabetes or heart disease.
• Are undergoing radiotherapy in the neck or head area.
• Is a heavy smoker.
• Lack of gums and jaw bones that are healthy enough to have dental implants installed.

Wisdom tooth surgery also has several conditions that cause patients not recommended or postponed to undergo wisdom teeth surgery, and if it continues to operate, it requires special treatment and supervision from a doctor. Some of these conditions are:

• An infection occurred in the part of the tooth to be operated on.
• History of radiotherapy in the part of the tooth that will undergo surgery.
• Diabetes.
• Suffers from advanced liver or kidney disease.
• Hypertension.
• Lymphoma.
• Suffers from blood clotting disorders, such as hemophilia.
• First or last trimester of pregnancy.

Just like wisdom teeth surgery, jaw surgery also has several conditions that cause patients to be given special treatment or supervision during surgery to prevent complications. Some of these conditions include:

• Patients who have bad oral hygiene.
• Blood disorders.
• Having blood vessel disorders in the area that will undergo surgery.

Oral Surgery Preparation

Before undergoing oral surgery, the patient will undergo an examination first as part of the patient's preparation before surgery. This examination includes a scan of the condition of the mouth and teeth with dental X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs, as well as modeling the patient's mouth and teeth based on the results of the scan. Patients who will undergo jaw surgery will be paired with braces from 12 to 18 months before surgery, to adjust the position of the teeth to match the jaw to be operated on. If the patient requires a bone graft, especially for dental implant surgery, the doctor will plan to take a bone graft with the patient. Patients who are experiencing infectious diseases will be given antibiotics first before undergoing surgery to prevent postoperative complications. Patients are also required to notify their health condition to the doctor before undergoing surgery, including drugs that are being consumed. If needed, patients will be asked to stop taking these drugs a few days before undergoing surgery. Patients who undergo jaw surgery will undergo surgery with general anesthesia. Patients who will undergo dental implant surgery and wisdom teeth surgery can be given local or total anesthesia. Patients given local anesthesia may also be given sedatives to help them relax during surgery.

Oral Surgery Procedure

The patient will first be asked to change his clothes with special surgical clothes. After that, the patient will be placed on the operating table in accordance with the requirements of the procedure. The patient will then be given an anesthetic, either local or total anesthetic, and may be added sedative if needed. Dental implant surgery and wisdom teeth will begin with making an incision in the gums to open the gum tissue and jawbone. Patients who undergo wisdom teeth surgery will undergo jaw bone removal that blocks the area of ​​wisdom teeth so that the extraction process of wisdom teeth is easier. The doctor will then cut the wisdom teeth into pieces and remove the wisdom teeth from the gums. Parts of the gum that were previously occupied by wisdom teeth will be cleaned to prevent infection and remove broken teeth and jaw bones. The gum is then sewn using a sewing thread that can be fused with the gum. If necessary, the doctor will put a bandage on the gums to help stop bleeding and help restore the gums. In contrast to wisdom teeth surgery which generally takes place in one day, dental implant surgery usually takes place several times and on different days. The first step is to remove the tooth root from the gums to make room for the implant to be placed in the jawbone. After that, dental implants will be placed on the jawbone which can be started with a jaw bone graft or not. If the dental implant has fused with the jawbone through the osseointegration process, the implant that has been implanted will be fitted with an abutment as a link between the dental implant and the crown of the denture. The crown will then be placed on the abutment as the final step in the placement of dental implants. The time lag between one stage and the other stages in the installation of dental implants can last for several weeks to several months, because each stage must go through a recovery phase first before continuing to the next stage. Therefore, patients who will undergo dental implant surgery must have a commitment to undergo the implantation process for several months. The jaw operation begins by making a cut around the part of the bone to be repaired. Slices are generally made on the inside of the mouth, but slices can also be made on the outside of the mouth if needed. After the incision is made, the doctor will perform jaw bone reconstruction as needed, both the maxillary bone, lower jaw bone, or chin bone. Reconstruction can be in the form of cutting or adding bones. If additional bone is needed, the patient will undergo a bone graft that can be taken from the femur, hip, or rib. Bone that has been reshaped through cutting or adding, will be kept so that the repaired bone remains in that position, the doctor will connect it with the help of bone plates, bolts, glues, or wire. The bone joint device used will be integrated with the bone so that no surgery is needed to retrieve the device. After the operation is completed, the patient will be taken to a special room to undergo recovery. Generally, patients who undergo wisdom teeth surgery and dental implants are allowed to go home after the procedure is complete. However, if needed, the patient will be asked to rest first to undergo recovery. Patients who undergo jaw surgery will be taken to the recovery room before being allowed to go home. If necessary, patients can undergo hospitalization before then undergoing outpatient treatment.

After Oral Surgery

The recovery period for each operation varies from one another. During the recovery period, patients can feel pain, swelling, and bruising in the area undergoing surgery. Patients who undergo dental implant surgery and wisdom teeth can also experience bleeding in the operated gum. The doctor will give painkillers, antibiotics, and mouthwash for the patient to use during the recovery period. To relieve swelling and bruising, patients can compress bruised areas using cold water or ice. Patients should rest and avoid strenuous physical activity for several days after undergoing surgery. Foods that should be consumed by patients during the recovery period are soft foods, not hard, not spicy, and not hot because they can cause surgical wounds to become sick. Patients are encouraged to drink plenty of water during the recovery period and avoid fizzy, caffeinated or alcoholic drinks. If brushing your teeth still causes pain in the operating area, the patient can clean his mouth using mouthwash that has been given by the doctor. Patients who have the habit of smoking should stop their smoking habit during the recovery period. If the patient is sutured with sutures that are not absorbed by the body, the patient will be scheduled to undergo suture removal by the doctor. The doctor will also arrange a check-up schedule to monitor the patient's recovery period.

Risk of Oral Surgery

Some risks of complications that can arise from undergoing oral surgery include:

• Bleeding.
• Damage to nerve tissue.
• Infection.
• Jaw fracture.
• Loss of part of the jawbone.
• The jaw bone is back in position before the operation.
• Jaw joint pain.
• Injury to the tissues around the gums, especially blood vessels and nerve tissue.
• Sinus disorders, especially if surgery is done in the jaw or upper gums.