Surgical Procedures
As in all branches of general medicine, surgery is a field of work that requires a high degree of specialization and coordination. In dentistry, surgical procedures involve the jawbones and soft tissues (palate, lips, and the area around the tooth roots), and due to their close proximity to blood vessels and nerves, they must be performed by specialist physicians with a high level of discipline.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Procedures
- Removal of teeth and tooth roots attached to the jawbone
- Extractions of impacted wisdom teeth
- Removal of abscesses, cysts, and tumors affecting the tooth roots or originating from soft tissue, such as the gums and bone.
- Diagnosis and treatment of jaw fractures
- Placement of implants in the jawbones
- Treatment of facial paralysis, jaw joint and muscle pain, and neuralgia
- Performing root-end resection surgery to save the tooth in cases of unsuccessful root canal treatments
- Planning and performing jaw and facial aesthetic procedures in conjunction with orthodontics to complete orthodontic treatment in older age groups.
Wisdom Teeth – Impacted Tooth Surgery
The reason why impacted wisdom teeth cause problems is that genetically there is no longer a need for this tooth and our jaws are gradually shrinking. As our jaws shrink, wisdom teeth struggle to find space and therefore cannot erupt like other teeth. Wisdom teeth that cannot find space push against the front teeth, causing crowding. In addition, because they are located far back and the surrounding gum tissue is not anatomically normal, they can easily become inflamed.
Fully impacted wisdom teeth usually do not cause problems. However, they must be monitored with X-rays. Despite being fully impacted, they can put pressure on the roots of the front teeth, cause damage, and lead to cystic formations around them. In this case, they must be surgically removed.
Partially erupted wisdom teeth cause the most problems. Because they cannot erupt completely, the piece of gum tissue covering them (the crown) becomes inflamed over time due to food debris getting trapped underneath and bacteria multiplying. Inflammation of the gum tissue surrounding the tooth results in pain, swelling, and abscess formation. They create an environment conducive to decay. In this case, surgical removal is absolutely necessary.
Fully erupted wisdom teeth usually do not cause problems, but they are difficult to brush because they are located far back in the mouth. Therefore, it is recommended that they be extracted as a preventive measure in patients with poor oral hygiene.
The Dangers of Wisdom Teeth
- Pressing on the front tooth may cause misalignment.
- It can cause decay in the front tooth.
- It can sometimes cause pain and swelling because it creates a suitable environment for inflammation.
- The existing inflammation can enter the bloodstream when the body is weak and settle in vital organs such as the heart, kidneys, brain, and joints, posing a life-threatening risk.
Treatment of Wisdom Tooth Inflammation
First, the acute inflammation must be treated with antibiotics to prevent it from becoming chronic. (The inflammation present here only becomes chronic with antibiotic use. It cannot be completely eliminated. Therefore, one should not be misled by the disappearance of symptoms after antibiotic use and decide against extracting the tooth.)