Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

Milford Regional’s oral and maxillofacial surgeons are highly trained surgeons who diagnose and treat diseases, defects or injuries of the hard and soft tissues of the face, mouth and jaws. Board certified in oral and maxillofacial surgery, our doctors often work closely with your dentist and/or orthodontist to provide the best treatment for your particular condition.

Our oral surgeons’ advanced training in anesthesia allows them to provide quality care with maximum patient comfort and safety in the surgeon’s office. A few of the more complicated surgeries may be performed at Milford Regional Medical Center. These surgeries would include:

Odondectomy

Odontectomy is the surgical removal of a tooth that has not yet erupted through the gum tissue (i.e. impacted tooth). This is a surgical procedure which requires an incision in the gum tissue, exposure of the tooth and often sectioning of the tooth so that it can be removed.

Orthognathic Jaw Surgery

When jaws don’t meet properly or teeth don’t fit with your jaws, your dentist may recommend corrective jaw surgery. This surgery repositions the jaws which improves facial appearance and ensures that teeth meet and function properly. If your upper and lower jaws are not aligned properly, it could result in a speech problem, difficulty chewing, biting or swallowing, jaw pain, breathing problems or an esthetic problem. Any of these symptoms can exist at birth, can be a result of hereditary or environmental factors, or acquired from facial trauma.

Orthodontics can correct a bite problem if it is caused by misaligned teeth, but if the misalignment is a contributing factor, you may be a candidate for corrective orthognathic jaw surgery. Our oral surgeons will work closely with your dentist and orthodontist to determine the best course of treatment for you. The oral surgeon will perform the actual surgery; orthodontics is often required before and after the surgery.

Maxillofacial Surgery

Motor vehicle accidents, sports injuries, assaults, or a fall can result in facial trauma and require immediate care. Injuries can range from face or oral lacerations, a knocked out tooth, to more severe injuries of the skin and bones of the face. Fractures can involve the lower jaw, upper jaw, palate, cheekbones, eye sockets or combinations of these bones. These injuries can affect sight and the ability to breathe, speak, eat and swallow. Treatment often requires hospitalization.

The principles for treating facial fractures are the same as for a broken arm or leg. The parts of the bone must be lined up and held together to permit them time to heal. This may require six or more weeks depending on the patient’s age and the fracture’s complexity.

When maxillofacial fractures are complex, the repositioning technique used by the oral and maxillofacial surgeon depends upon the location and severity of the fracture. One of these options involves wiring the jaws together for certain fractures of the upper and/or lower jaw. Certain other types of fractures of the jaw are best treated and stabilized by the surgical placement of small plates and screws at the involved site. This technique is called “rigid fixation” of a fracture. The relatively recent development and use of rigid fixation has profoundly improved the recovery period for many patients, allowing them to return to normal function more quickly.

Understanding the fact that facial injuries involve a high degree of emotional as well as physical trauma, our surgeons will make every effort to minimize the number and size of the incisions that are necessary to treat your injury. They are highly trained and skilled in providing emergency care and long-term reconstruction and rehabilitation for your facial bones and teeth.