Jaw Tumors

Not all unusual growths in the mouth are cancerous, but they can still cause problems. At the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania, we use state-of-the-art tools to safely extract oral cysts and tumors, which can be disruptive to the surrounding jaw tissue.

An odontoma is an abnormal growth made up of the make kinds of material found in healthy teeth, such as enamel and dentin. In fact, odontomas could sometimes be mistaken for teeth if not for their unusual locations. Odontomas are the most common kind of jaw cysts, but like the others, they are linked to certain genes and can cause misalignment in teeth, pain, and difficulty swallowing. Other cysts and tumors are made of different materials.

With our piezosurgery tools, we can remove cysts and tumors with minimal risk to surrounding tissues while the patient is numbed and sedated. To ensure we understand the problem correctly, it will be necessary for some of the tumorous tissue to be assessed for cancer. We often deal with oral cancer and work closely with patients’ oncologists, but in most cases, unusual jaw growths are benign.

The Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania operate in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights. Visit Oral Surgery PA or call 215-463-4141.

 

Alveoplasty for Dentures

As part of the preparation for restoring patients’ teeth, we at the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania sometimes must reshape the jaw ridge. This procedure is known as an alveoplasty, and it’s done to ensure that a denture or fixed bridge will be comfortable, stable, and not set patients up for bad oral hygiene.

After using our CT scanner to assess the patient’s current jaw shape, we’ll numb and sedate them. Gum tissue in the area where the bridge will eventually go will be cut away, exposing the jaw bone. Our office uses piezosurgery tools, which are extremely precise and allow bone tissue to be filed smoothly without endangering the surrounding nerves. The patient will not feel vibrations from the instruments and the surgical site will be constantly cleaned during the procedure. After the surgery, the gums will be sutured and allowed to heal.

It will usually take a few weeks for a patient who has undergone an alveoplasty to be ready for a denture or fixed bridge. We will want to be certain of the jaw ridge’s final shape before fabricating a prosthetic. By filing down the ridge, we can be sure that there will be enough vertical dimension for the replacement teeth and that the denture’s base will not be in an awkward concave shape that would trap food.

The Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania operate in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights. Visit Oral Surgery PA or call 215-463-4141.

 

Extraction Site Preservation

If a patient is missing teeth due to tooth extraction, or facial trauma, it’s important to fill the empty space where the natural tooth once lived. Since wisdom teeth are located in the back of the mouth, the site from extraction will heal on its own with no complications. However, if it’s necessary for other teeth to be removed, plans must be made to fill the empty space. Fortunately, the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania have plenty of options for you to choose from.

If a tooth is removed and nothing is done with the extraction site, the jaw bone will degenerate and change shape during healing and can cause your teeth to shift. This can create problems in your bite and affect your ability to speak and chew. Depending on your individual needs, one of our doctors can determine if you would benefit from dental implants or another method of treatment to restore your smile. Once a recommendation is made, a treatment plan will follow.

If you have questions or concerns regarding oral surgery or extraction site preservation, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.oralsurgerypa.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania located in Philadelphia, call 215-463-4141. 

Digital X-rays Benefit Patients

Digital X-rays provide excellent comfort than traditional X-rays and reduce radiation exposure. Additionally, these types of X-rays allow the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania to magnify images for greater diagnostic accuracy for more timely and appropriate surgical treatment. Digital X-rays dramatically reduce the harmful chemicals such as lead and silver that are released into the environment and provide various benefits to the patient.

Our digital X-ray system is designed with the patient in mind and is much more sensitive to radiation. This is because a digital X-ray provides nearly 80% less radiation than a standard X-ray. Additional patient advantages include avoidance of chemical processing errors, which means that our doctors will be able to take a closer look at the teeth and surrounding structures with astounding accuracy.

If you have questions or concerns regarding oral surgery or digital X-rays, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.oralsurgerypa.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania located in Philadelphia, call 215-463-4141.