What is Oral Surgery?

Oral surgery (dentoaveloar surgery) includes a range of surgical procedures that are conducted in the mouth and jaws. Typically, a Dentist or an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon (OMFS) will perform Oral Surgery and this may be completed under either Local Anaesthetic or under a General Anaesthetic (in hospital).

In a large proportion of cases depending on their level of training and experience many dentists are very competent in and enjoy performing a large range of oral surgical procedures. Often, a dentist is able to incorporate oral surgery procedures into a patients overall treatment plan without the need for a patient to visit multiple practitioners.

The following are a range of surgical procedures that are conducted through our clinic under either local anaesthetic in the chair, or under a general anaesthetic in hospital.

Extractions – single, multiple, uncomplicated, and complicated
Wisdom teeth extractions – uncomplicated and complicated
Biopsies for pathology screening
Frenectomy - ankyloglossia (or tongue tie) and removal of upper lip frenums
Apicectomy - removal of infected root tip after root canal treatment
Pre-prosthetic surgery – multiple teeth extractions, bone modifications, and soft tissue removal prior to denture construction
Treatment of dental infections
Periodontal surgery
Implants
Sinus surgery
Orthodontic exposure of impacted teeth

Oral Surgery in the chair

When persons are unable to or it is not desirable to have treatment performed under a general anaesthetic in hospital, it is often very easy to have a procedure performed under local anaesthetic in the chair. With well-administered local anaesthetic, for many people oral surgery in the chair is a sound viable option and should not be a traumatic and frightening experience.

When oral surgery is performed in the chair under local anaesthetic, conscious sedation such as with medications, injections, and / or inhalation (nitrous oxide) can also be arranged for persons whom anxiety, fear, or a phobia may cause undue and unnecessary stress.

Oral Surgery in Hospital

Often it is desirable for treatment or more complex cases, and for those patients with lengthy medical histories, for surgery to be conducted in hospital under a general anaesthetic. Other reasons may be anxiety about the proposed procedure, or the proximity of nerves and blood vessels that require the patient to remain completely stable so that the risk of damage to these structures is minimised.

Admission typically occurs on a day patient basis, and that is, you have the surgery and go home on the same day. If required, an overnight stay in hospital can also be arranged.

What Happens Before My Oral Surgery

Prior to any oral surgery being conducted (unless it is an emergency procedure) at our clinic a 30-minute consultation takes place. This allows for:

X-rays to be arranged and reviewed – any specialty x-rays such as cone beam CT’s are also ordered if required.
A full appraisal of the patients’ medical history and current medications are reviewed.
A thorough explanation of the proposed surgery occurs, along with any possible risks and complications and the expected outcome and course of healing.
An itemised treatment estimate is provided.
Post operative instruction sheets and any medication scripts are provided.
An appointment for the procedure either under local anaesthetic or a general anaesthetic to be made, along with all required review appointments.

What Happens After My Oral Surgery

No matter how small or how large any procedure, a thorough post-operative instruction sheet is provided at the consultation appointment as mentioned above. This explains in detail what is required to occur when the patient arrives home including how to take any medications as prescribed.

Typically our office or Dr Eldridge will conduct a follow-up courtesy call several days later to assess how healing is progressing.

* For all surgical procedures other than uncomplicated extractions, Dr Eldridge provides his mobile telephone number to patients for direct after hours contact should the need arise. *

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

An OMFS is a specialist that undertakes considerable training in Dentistry, Medicine, and Surgery for a number of years (around 13) and they conduct complex surgery that includes other structures of the mouth, jaws, and face that a dentist may not wish to do, and in many cases is not qualified to do. Most of the procedures an OMFS will do are performed under a General Anaesthetic in hospital due to the complexity of the surgery involved.

Procedures that a patient may be referred to an OMFS for are:

Complicated extractions and wisdom teeth extractions
Implants
Maxilla and Mandible osteotomies and orthognathic surgery
Sinus lifts
Reconstructive surgery
TMJ surgery
Cancer diagnosis and surgery
Congenital malformation surgery such as cleft lip/palate
Trauma surgery to the jaws and face such as mandible, cheek bone, and eye socket fractures
Diagnosis and treatment of facial pain, oral pathology, oral cancer, and other non-surgical conditions related to the oromaxillofacial region.

A patient requires a referral to an OMFS by their medical GP or Dentist, and in many cases the assistance of an OMFS is required in the overall multidisciplinary treatment of a patients medical condition, or for a 2nd opinion.

At all times, if a patient is unsure of their treatment needs, an opinion from an OMFS should be gained or requested.

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