When a person is having oral surgery, one most commonly thinks there are issues with the teeth or gums that need to be corrected. Oral surgery is often performed for those who need to have their wisdom teeth removed, a root canal or a tooth extracted that cannot be pulled without surgery. However, there are other conditions that are often treated with oral surgery as well. These are some of the other types of conditions that often require oral surgery.
Misaligned Jaw Bones
There are many reasons why the jawbones may be misaligned. This may occur due to an injury, a birth defect or unequal jaw growth. When this occurs, it can be very difficult for the person to chew, swallow, breathe or speak correctly.
However, this problem can often be resolved by oral surgery. This commonly requires that the jawbones are broken during surgery and re-positioned so that they are aligned properly. Once the patient has healed and the jawbones are in the proper alignment, he can eat, speak, swallow and breathe correctly.
Temporomandibular Joint Disorder
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder is a condition in which the joint in front of the ear where the lower jaw and the skull connect does not function properly. Often this causes severe headaches and facial pain.
Sometimes this can be treated with medication and physical therapy. However, severe cases of TMJ disorder often require oral surgery to correct if there is a specific problem with the joint.
Cleft Lip Or Cleft Palate
If a person is born with a condition known as cleft lip or cleft palate this means that certain portions of the mouth and nasal cavity did not grow together during fetal development. This normally results in a noticeable gap in the lip, the roof of the mouth or both.
Eating, breathing, and speaking normally for someone with this condition is tremendously difficult. However, the condition can be greatly improved or corrected through oral surgery. It is not uncommon for the patient to need several surgeries to repair this problem.
Snoring And Sleep Apnea
Snoring and sleep apnea can also be corrected by oral surgery. This problem may occur due to excess soft tissue that is located in the back portion of the mouth and the lower jaw. The excess tissue may partially block the airway when one is sleeping which can trigger both snoring and sleep apnea.
If nonsurgical methods do not treat this condition, surgically removing the excess tissue is often performed to make it easier for the person to breathe while sleeping.
Depending on the condition the patient has, the diagnosis may be made by a dental specialist who is familiar with a variety of different oral health conditions. The surgery is often performed by an oral surgeon or maxillofacial surgeon and a team of other health care specialists. For more information, contact a company like Peak Family Dentistry & Orthodontics.
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