FAQs

FAQs About Oral & Facial Surgery in Metro Atlanta, GA

If you have questions about oral and facial surgery in Metro Atlanta, GA, you can always trust the surgical team at Atlanta Oral & Facial Surgery to answer them. We want our patients to feel comfortable and confident in our treatment options before, during, and after their procedures. A significant part of our patient experience is ensuring you understand what to expect with your condition and the surgical solutions we offer. Below, we’ve answered many common questions and invite you to ask more.

What Is Oral Surgery?

Oral surgery involves specialized medical procedures performed on your mouth, teeth, jaws, and surrounding facial structures. Surgeons use these advanced techniques to resolve complex issues that go beyond routine dental care. Common treatments include removing impacted wisdom teeth, placing dental implants to replace missing roots, and repairing facial fractures. Furthermore, oral surgery helps correct congenital defects like cleft lip and palates and craniofacial deformities, treat facial trauma, remove oral tumors, relieve chronic jaw joint pain and perform corrective jaw surgery to restore your everyday comfort and overall health.

What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants act as high-tech artificial roots, typically crafted from medical-grade titanium. These implants are designed to anchor permanent or removable replacement teeth. To begin the process, an oral surgeon meticulously embeds a small metal post directly into the jawbone through a precise surgical procedure. Over several months, this post fuses naturally with the bone, creating a solid foundation. Once healed, your restorative dentist attaches a custom-made crown on top, successfully restoring the aesthetic beauty and the functional strength of a natural smile.

What Should I Eat After Wisdom Teeth Removal?

After your wisdom teeth are extracted, you should stick to cool, soft foods that require zero chewing to avoid irritating the extraction sites. Start with nourishing bone broth, lukewarm pureed soups, or mashed avocados to keep your energy up without hurting your jaw. High-protein Greek yogurt and fruit smoothies, consumed without a straw, are excellent choices for those first forty-eight hours. As you heal, soft scrambled eggs and flaky white fish offer a gentle way to transition back toward solid meals.

Do You Have to Get Your Wisdom Teeth Removed?

Not everyone needs their third molars extracted, especially if they emerge straight and fully functional. However, dentists typically recommend removal when these teeth become impacted or lack sufficient space. These conditions cause painful crowding against adjacent molars. If your jaw is too small, wisdom teeth often grow at awkward angles, leading to stubborn gum infections or cysts. By proactively addressing these buried teeth, you can prevent future decay and structural damage. Atlanta Oral & Facial Surgery will gladly ensure your smile remains healthy and properly aligned throughout adulthood.

How Do You Treat TMJ Dysfunction Surgically?

When conservative therapies fail to provide relief, surgeons often turn to arthroscopy or arthrocentesis to repair the jaw joint directly. These specialized procedures involve flushing out inflammatory debris or realigning the articular disc to restore smooth movement. By smoothing bone surfaces and removing scar tissue, doctors can significantly reduce chronic discomfort. Most patients report a substantial increase in their range of motion and a life-changing reduction in daily pain levels, allowing them to chew and speak without the constant threat of locking.

How Long Does TMJ Disorder Last?

The duration of TMJ symptoms fluctuates wildly depending on the root cause and selected therapy. Minor flare-ups often resolve within a few weeks using conservative self-care. However, chronic structural damage might linger indefinitely without clinical help. While surgery isn’t always necessary, it can reduce a recovery timeline that might otherwise drag on for years. Opting for surgical repair often provides a definitive endpoint to the agony. Conversely, ignoring severe joint displacement can lead to a lifetime of persistent, recurring facial pain.

How Does Facial Reconstruction Work?

Facial reconstructive surgery is a broad field that encompasses many surgical procedures, ranging from corrective jaw or orthognathic surgery to facial trauma reconstruction to reconstruction of defects from pathology or tumors. Surgeons begin by mapping the underlying bone and soft tissue using 3D imaging to guide their approach. The actual reconstruction can vary depending on the diagnosis and treatment needed.  It can sometimes involve grafting bone from elsewhere in the body or using synthetic implants to rebuild structural integrity. Contact the facial surgeons at Atlanta Oral & Facial Surgery

What Is Oral Pathology?

Oral pathology serves as the essential diagnostic branch of dentistry dedicated to identifying diseases affecting the mouth and surrounding structures. This field investigates abnormalities within the salivary glands, jawbones, gums, and mucous membranes. Specialists meticulously examine biopsies to differentiate between benign lesions and malignant growths. By studying these specific oral components, clinicians can pinpoint the underlying causes of persistent sores or unusual swelling, ensuring patients receive accurate diagnoses and targeted treatment plans for complex dental health issues. Reach out to us today to learn more about how we incorporate oral pathology into our surgical solutions.