Have you recently sustained a serious injury? The hope is always to avoid facial trauma — but, of course, the risk of breaking a bone, losing a tooth, or damaging soft tissues is always present. After the injury occurs, knowing what to do next can mean the difference in saving a tooth or preserving your bone structure and not. Fortunately, your emergency oral surgeon in Marietta is prepared to take on even some of the most serious cases. Keep reading to learn what to do after a knocked out tooth, facial laceration, broken jaw, or anything else that takes you by surprise.
Common Emergency Injuries
When you are in the middle of an emergency, you do not want to waste any time trying to decide if you need to seek help or if you can wait it out. If you think something has broken or if you are bleeding nonstop from your mouth, you likely need to see a doctor right away. After you have received the initial medical attention, make your way to an oral surgeon to receive further treatment.
Some of the most common dental emergencies include the following:
- Knocked out teeth
- Soft tissue injuries/lacerations (cut to the cheek, lips, etc.)
- Fracture in the facial area (cheek, nose, eye socket, etc.)
- Fractured upper or lower jaw bone
How an Emergency Oral Surgeon Will Proceed
After you have the situation, your emergency oral surgeon can get started providing regain long-term oral function and your natural appearance. Often, this means partnering with other specialists — like endodontists and orthodontists to provide the most informed care possible.
If a tooth has been lost, one of the top priorities is maintaining the bone structure to provide a dental implant if possible. Dental implants offer unsurpassed stability and longevity for a knocked out tooth.
If the soft tissues have been affected — like a laceration to the cheek or elsewhere on the face — your oral surgeon will provide treatments with aesthetics in mind. As much as bringing back the health of the area, a great emphasis will be placed on ensuring that the results look as natural and beautiful as possible.
Providing treatment for a broken jaw or other facial bone can be complex. Wiring the jaws shut can help to provide a cast-like effect to allow the bone to heal back together. Additionally, screws and plates can be placed over the area to encourage healing.
To conclude, an oral emergency can be frightening, but it does not need to be when you know where to turn for help! Your Marietta emergency oral surgeon and their team are prepared to help you get your smile back on track.
Meet the Practice
Muskingum Valley Oral Surgery, headed by Dr. Jeff Lee, offers his oral surgery expertise to patients in and around Marietta, OH. A part-time faculty member in the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department at The Ohio State University College of Dentistry, Dr. Lee is a local leader in this field. To schedule an appointment or for emergency oral surgery attention, you are invited to contact the office at (740) 432-8768.