Tag: Oral Surgery

Foods To Include in Your Recovery Following Oral Surgery

Patients prepared for oral surgery typically experience a quick and successful recovery. Your dietary needs following oral surgery depend on your overall health, the surgery, oral function impact, and the expected healing period. A liquid or soft food diet is typically required for a few days following your oral surgery. Hill County Oral Surgery recommends choosing nutrient-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, protein, and dairy. These food types provide the necessary nutrients and vitamins required for optimal healing.

The pain, swelling, and bleeding after oral surgery will limit your food intake because of difficulty chewing and swallowing. During your recovery, you should only choose soft foods to include in your diet. These soft foods are easy to prepare by mashing, moistening, pureeing, or grounding, giving your body the essential nutrients it needs to heal.

Here at Hill Country Oral Surgery, we recommend that you stick to the following foods that will have you back to normal in no time.

Soft Foods to Eat After Oral Surgery

Your surgeon may suggest a soft food diet following the below procedures:

These procedures frequently require patients to limit food intake to soft foods and don’t bite or chew with the treated dental area for a period. In addition, the American Association of Endodontists recommends patients avoid biting or chewing after a root canal, allowing the tooth to heal and a crown is in place.

The best place to begin your recovery food intake is with liquids.

Start with Liquids

Oral swelling after surgery may prevent you from chewing solid and semi-solid foods. The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons recommends daily drinking 48-64 oz of liquids. These liquids should not include caffeine beverages like coffee, soda, and tea.

Flavored gelatins and juices extracted from fruits and vegetables are appropriate. Other suitable liquids include yogurt, milk, smoothies, shakes, tapioca, and protein drinks. Avoid alcohol and cold water, and don’t use a straw as it may increase your discomfort.

Soups

Soups made from vegetables and meats are easy to prepare. They will give your body the necessary nutrients to remain healthy and recover. We recommend soups like tomato, pumpkin, chicken noodles, and celery. Avoid soups with large, hard vegetables that require chewing and may be difficult to swallow.

Next, you can move to grains and bread, then fruits and vegetables and Protein-based foods.

Grains and Bread

Soft bread and grains, including white bread, wheat bread, flatbread, and flour tortilla, are excellent after surgery. In addition, grains like oatmeal, cream of wheat, rice, pasta noodles, and saltines are also suitable foods.

Other choices include polenta, congee, nut butter, ramen noodles, soft pastry pies, risotto, peas, mashed beans, waffles, and semolina dishes.

Fruits and Vegetables

Well-cooked vegetables and canned fruits are excellent foods after surgery. Also, soft fruits and vegetables that are easy to chew and swallow, like bananas, avocados, mashed potatoes, and cooked spinach, give ample dietary vitamins and nutrients.

Other suggestions include boiled sweet potatoes (or mashed), baked apples or applesauce, beets, canned carrots, and au gratin potatoes.

Protein-Based Foods

Your body will need plenty of protein to heal. We recommend soft protein-based foods after oral surgery because they will cause less stress on the teeth, jaw, and throat.

These include broiled, stewed, baked, or chopped lean beef, tuna, tofu, salmon, and chicken. Other acceptable protein-based foods include scrambled eggs, meatloaf, fish, pulled pork, and liver.

Dairy

Many dairy foods are easy to consume after oral surgery. These include custard, yogurt, plain ice cream,  cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, milkshakes, mild cheese, cream cheese, and milk.

Other Considerations

The food and beverage temperature, hot or cold, is also vital to consider. For example, consuming hot drinks while healing from tooth extraction can irritate gum tissue and complicate recovery. Instead, focus on foods that are warm, not piping hot. In addition, stick to colder foods, like yogurt, until your surgeon allows you to expand your dietary options.

It is crucial to avoid the following foods for the first week after surgery to avoid discomfort and delayed healing:

  • Citrus juices
  • Spicy foods
  • Foods like deli meats and steak that are difficult to chew
  • Crusty breads, bagels, cookies
  • Crunchy foods like pretzels, popcorn, and potato chips
  • Alcoholic beverages

On the day of your surgery, we recommend starting with clear fluids (broth, tea, juices, and Jell-O). Then, as the healing processes, gradually introduce more substantial foods.

Next Steps

Hill Country Oral Surgery provides some of Austin, TX’s best oral surgery procedures and patient care. If you are considering oral surgery in Austin, TX, and would like more information, we invite you to contact us today for a consultation!

What You Need to Know About Oral Surgery if You Have Diabetes

You probably have heard about diabetes before. Maybe you or any member of your family are one of the 34.2 million Americans that suffer from this chronic disease. If so, you’d know how diabetes can alter lifestyles and interfere with common medical treatments and procedures.

When it comes to dental treatment, the good news is that nearly all diabetic patients can undergo most dental procedures. However, there are some extra precautions they need to take to ensure their health is not at risk – especially when undergoing treatments that involve blood loss like oral surgeries and teeth extractions.

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a chronic condition that alters a person’s blood sugar level. This alteration is a consequence of a problem with insulin, the enzyme that regulates sugar levels. In diabetic patients, this enzyme is not produced in the right quantity, or the body simply develops a tolerance to its action. As a consequence, uncontrolled diabetic patients have too much sugar in the bloodstream, which can bring multiple health complications.

It is of utmost importance for diabetic patients to pay close attention to their diet and be diligent with insulin shots or medications. When this systemic condition is not properly controlled, it can have significant repercussions on the patient’s overall health, and oral health is no exception.

Diabetes and Oral Health

Of all the consequences that diabetes has on the human body, three of them directly affect oral health:

  • Weakens defense cells: the white blood cells are in charge of defending our body from diverse infections. When this defense system is not functioning properly, our body is more vulnerable to the attack of bacteria and viruses. This makes diabetic patients more susceptible to developing conditions like gums disease and periodontitis.
  • Affects blood circulation: diabetes also affects blood circulation in small blood vessels, which can complicate the normal healing process of wounds in soft tissues.
  • Causes dry mouth: this condition also decreases saliva flow. Saliva has many important functions in the oral cavity, and a dry mouth can lead to soreness, ulcers, infections, and tooth decay.

How Does Diabetes Affect the Surgery Outcome?

Oral surgery leaves a wound that the body usually heals a few days after surgery. As mentioned before, blood circulation is affected by high sugar blood levels, so this healing process is slowed down in diabetic patients. As a result, the wound is open for a longer period of time, and if we combine this open wound with the weakened defense system, the result is a patient at a higher risk of developing infections that can complicate both oral and overall health.

Steps to Follow Before a Dental Surgery

Patients with controlled sugar levels can undergo a dental extraction with no inconvenience. However, our oral surgeon needs to be certain you are within the normal parameters, which are 180 mg/dl before a meal and 234 mg/dl 2 hours after a meal. We usually advise our patients to make sure they don’t skip their medications two weeks before surgery, and we can ask them to have a quick blood sugar test before the procedure.

For some extensive surgical procedures, we might also ask diabetic patients to take antibiotics before surgery day.

Oral Surgery in Austin, TX

Our oral surgeons are trained to treat patients with any type of medical condition. If you have diabetes and need oral surgery, please do not hesitate to schedule an appointment with one of our dentists!

Why Do you Have to Avoid Straws After Oral Surgery?

One of the first post-operative instructions you receive after a tooth extraction is to avoid drinking through straws for at least 24 hours. You might have heard this indication if you or any family member ever had a tooth removed, but do you know why it is so important?

This blog explains in detail how your body reacts to teeth extractions and why following this (and any other) post-op instruction is critical.

For more information on teeth extraction or to schedule a consultation with one of our expert oral surgeons in Austin and Buda, TX, fill out our online form. While you’re here take a look at our before and after transformations in our gallery.

What Happens After a Tooth Extraction?

The physiological response to a tooth extraction might vary according to the characteristics of the surgical procedure, as some surgeries are more invasive than others. However, the healing process is very similar in all cases. After all, dental surgery leaves a wound, so the body will react as in any other traumatic event.

As soon as the surgeon pulls out the tooth, the empty socket is filled with blood. After a few minutes, the blood tends to get thicker and eventually forms a blood clot. This blood clot is vital to the healing process, but, unfortunately, it can easily get dislodged from the empty tooth socket. In most cases, oral surgeons opt to give stitches to the wound to prevent this inconvenience, but patient cooperation is still crucial to avoid post-operative complications.

Why Can’t I Use a Straw After Surgery?

Well, drinking through a straw creates suction, which can easily dislodge this blood clot. As mentioned before, this clot is vital as it has two primary purposes:

Stop uncontrolled bleeding: this clot stops the bleeding that is inevitably caused by oral surgery. If it gets dislodged, the socket will start bleeding once again, and you might need to visit the emergency room if it doesn’t stop on its own. Uncontrolled bleeding can be dangerous, so please do not hesitate to contact our office or visit the ER if this happens!

Avoid dry sockets: the blood clot also protects the remaining bone tissue from getting infected by bacteria. This infection, known as dry socket or alveolar osteitis, is extremely painful and requires urgent dental attention. If you start feeling pain after an extraction, visit the office as soon as possible – dry sockets can take a couple of weeks to resolve on their own without medication or dental treatment.

Other Post-Operative Recommendations

Besides avoiding straws, there are other instructions that you should follow after oral surgery to prevent further inconveniences:

  • Bite on a gauze pad for 45 minutes after the appointment. Replace it whenever it gets soaked.
  • Avoid rinsing or spitting for 24 hours after surgery.
  • Be extra careful when brushing near the area.
  • Take medication as prescribed by the oral surgeon.
  • Keep your fingers and tongue away from the surgical area.
  • Apply ice packs on the surgical area (on the side of the cheek) for the first 48 hours to prevent severe swallowing (20 minutes on and 10 minutes off).
  • Do not smoke for at least 48 hours after surgery.
  • Choose soft and preferably cold or warm foods. Ice cream is a perfect choice!
  • Avoid lifting heavy weights and do not exercise for at least three to four days after surgery.

Oral Surgery in Austin, TX.

If you have further questions regarding this or any other post-op instruction, you can schedule a consultation with one of our oral surgeons at Hill Country Oral Surgery. Our team is always ready to help!

Should You Get Oral Surgery If You are On a Blood Thinner?

The term “blood thinner” may ring a bell for those patients with heart conditions. It is a common medication that prevents multiple heart problems and is vital to millions of Americans these days.

This type of medication helps countless patients, but some things need to be considered when taking blood thinners. Patients need to be careful with certain procedures, and oral surgeries are undoubtedly one of them.

Read this blog to find out what patients on blood thinners need to know about oral surgery!

What are Blood Thinners?

Well, most patients on this type of medication know what they are and why they need to take them. However, not many people are acquainted with how these drugs work. Although there are different types of blood thinners (anticoagulants like warfarin and heparin and antiplatelets like aspirin), they all have the same target: blood clots.

Blood thinners prevent blood clots from forming, or at least they slow down this process. As a result, they help blood circulation, so they are typically indicated to avoid heart problems like heart attacks, strokes, and blockages. They are essential for some people, but the issue is that sometimes, our bodies need those clots. Blood clots are meant to stop blood loss, so these patients must be extremely careful with bleeding injuries and wounds (and surgical procedures, of course).

Can I Undergo Dental Procedures If I Am Taking Blood Thinning Medication?

Patients on blood thinners can undergo any dental procedure that doesn’t cause blood loss. They can come to the dental office for fillings, teeth whitening treatments, veneers, dental crowns, and many other treatments with no inconvenience. However, with oral surgery, they need to take some precautions. This doesn’t imply that you cannot have dental implants placed or teeth removed if you are taking this medication – you just need to follow a few additional steps before the oral surgery.

How Should I Proceed if I Need a Teeth Extraction or Dental Implants?

Oral surgery causes inevitable bleeding. It doesn’t represent a risk for most patients – the human body is prepared to stop blood loss through a physiological process that involves clots. Unfortunately, if you are taking blood thinners, this process is deliberately interrupted so your body cannot stop the bleeding caused by surgery on its own. For this purpose, you will need to stop or adjust medication for a few days before undergoing a surgical procedure.

However, this also represents a risk as patients take this medication for a good reason. That’s why it is always convenient to visit your cardiologist after you consult with the oral surgeon. Although our surgeons know how to deal with this situation and follow a strict protocol with patients on blood thinners, it is always advisable to visit the doctor that has prescribed the medication. Your doctor is the one who knows your case the best, and they might suggest specific measures for your particular situation.

The steps to follow before oral surgery can vary from patient to patient. The doctor usually stops the medication 5 to 7 days before the surgery. But if you are at high risk of suffering a heart problem, they might choose to reduce the dose or change it for another drug to minimize the risks.

Highly-Trained Oral Surgeons in Austin, TX

Our team of experts at Hill Country Oral Surgery is ready to deal with any personal situation. If you or your family are taking any medications and you still have some doubts, please schedule a consultation with one of our surgeons. We will be happy to assist you and answer all your questions!

Types of Facial Injuries Your Oral Surgeon Can Help Correct

Oral surgery is more than tooth extractions, implant surgery, and resolving impacted teeth. It also deals with facial trauma potentially affecting your ability to speak, eat, see, or breathe. Restoring these critical functions requires an exceptionally trained oral and maxillofacial surgeon to correct the aftermath of facial trauma. Here are common facial injuries your surgeons at Hill Country Oral Surgery can help rectify.

Jaw Fractures

Sports activities, auto accidents, and falls often lead to fractures in the lower jaw (mandible), the upper jaw (maxilla), or both. In most incidents, loosened, damaged, or knocked-out teeth accompany jaw fractures.

Hill Country Oral Surgery performs facial trauma surgery to stabilize the jaw and restore correct alignment. And since our surgeons specialize in replacing missing teeth and treating injured tooth sites, they are most qualified to address jaw-related injuries.

Cheekbone Fractures

Cheekbone fractures can result from violence, falling, sports injuries, or being in a car accident. Also called zygomatic bone injuries, these fractures might be easy to overlook. Usually, they don’t initially link with functional problems.

However, if not recognized and treated soon after trauma by an experienced oral and maxillofacial surgeon, the facial injury can cause cosmetic and functional problems. With severe cheekbone injuries, oral surgery may be necessary to restore the bone to its original position and shape.

Nasal Fractures

The nose is a prominent facial feature and a frequent site of injury. Blunt-force trauma is usually the culprit. In fact, any solid blow on the face – whether from violence, a fall, an accident, or a sports activity – can result in a broken nose.

Oral surgery is not always the ideal solution for nasal fractures. However, if the nose is visibly crooked or you are having trouble breathing, oral and maxillofacial surgical intervention may be necessary.

Orbital Fractures

Violent blows to the face often fracture the eye socket. Sports activities and auto accidents are common causes.

Most orbital fractures affect the eye socket’s lower portion, where the bone is thinner. As with nasal injuries, oral surgery isn’t always necessary for eye injuries. But if there is eyeball displacement from the natural position or double vision, the patient will likely need surgical treatment.

Hill Country Oral Surgery surgeons have extensive training, certification, and experience at treating all types of facial fractures and injuries. We serve the greater Austin area with a full range of oral and maxillofacial services, including wisdom teeth extractions, dental implants, impacted canines, and pre-prosthetic surgery.

If you would like more information about facial trauma requiring oral surgery, call our Austin office at (512) 327-7233 to request a consultation.

Easy-to-Eat Meals After Oral Surgery

Although oral surgery can be a daunting experience, many patients find recovery just as tricky if they don’t know what foods to eat. You must stay away from foods that not only can affect the results, but also damage your teeth and gums.

For most oral surgeries — such as tooth extraction and wisdom teeth removal — you should be able to start reintroducing fibrous and crunchy foods back into your diet after one week. However, for procedures like removal of impacted teeth, you may have to eat soft and liquid foods for up to six weeks.  So, what foods should you be ready to prepare after your oral surgery? Here are a few we suggest, and some we say, “stay away.”

Foods We Suggest

Remember, your mouth will be sensitive and sore after oral surgery. Food like bread, although soft, is difficult to chew. You should pick foods that don’t require vigorous chewing or those that can become a choking hazard. These include the following.

Soups

Since broths and soups are creamy and smooth, you can consume them without irritating the areas of your dental work. These foods are full of vitamins, minerals, and more, so they provide your body with all the daily nutrients it needs throughout the day. They’re also full of water, which will keep your body hydrated as well.

Smoothies

A smoothie is a meal in itself. These provide excellent health benefits, but require no chewing. Smoothies may contain vegetables, fruits, protein powder, or yogurt, all healthy to aid your recovery.

Scrambled Eggs

Eggs are a good source of protein for any meal, and they’re easy to chew and swallow. Plus, once you can chew again, you can start preparing them differently, like hard-boiled or fried.

Mashed Potatoes

This source of starch and carbs is also soft and easy to swallow. It can give your body a boost of energy to help get you through the day. This food is excellent for eating right after surgery.

Salmon

If you have a lot of swelling and inflammation, try eating small pieces of salmon. This meal has a lot of omega-3s and other healthy fats that encourage healing and reduce inflammation.

Cheese

Probiotic-rich cheese can help speed the healing process. However, you need to shred it into thin pieces before eating.

Avocado

This power food is chock-full of vitamins, potassium, and heart-healthy fats. You can add it to smoothies or other foods if you don’t like the taste.

Foods to Avoid

Now that you know what foods are suitable to eat after oral surgery, here are some to steer clear of:

  • Meats
  • Raw fruits and vegetables
  • Anything spicy
  • Bread
  • Candy
  • Nuts
  • Crackers

Don’t eat anything chewy, hard, sticky, or crunchy until your oral surgeon gives you permission to. These foods will slow the healing process and may cause severe discomfort.

If you need more information about what foods to eat after oral surgery or are concerned with your overall dental health, contact us today and schedule a checkup!

Can Jaw Surgery Relieve Difficulty Chewing and Biting?

Jaw surgery changes lives, improves bites, and beautifies smiles. Corrective jaw surgeries are a specialty of our oral surgeons here at Hill Country Oral Surgery in Austin, TX. Learn more about jaw surgery. Find out if you’re a candidate. Finally, call us at 512-327-7233 to schedule a consultation with one of our oral surgeons.

What Can Jaw Surgery Do for Me?

Jaw surgery is a versatile procedure that can correct a host of major and minor dental problems. In some cases, it is used for cosmetic changes, but generally, the primary goal of jaw surgery is to correct functional problems of the jaw and teeth.

What can jaw surgery do for you? This procedure treats many common dental problems including:

  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Misaligned teeth
  • Gummy smiles
  • Jaw pain
  • Headaches
  • Facial injuries and trauma
  • Chronic mouth breathing
  • Gaps between the teeth or lips when the mouth is closed
  • Difficulty chewing
  • Unbalanced facial appearance
  • Weak or receding jaw/chin
  • Sleep apnea
  • Excessive wear of the teeth

If you have any of the conditions on this list, come in for a consultation with one of our surgeons. Jaw surgery may not be the right fit for you, but when it is, it can dramatically improve symptoms, often completely resolving medical or dental complaints.

Jaw Surgery to Improve Chewing or Biting

Jaw surgery is often used to correct alignment issues between the upper and lower teeth. When the teeth and jaws don’t meet properly, biting and chewing difficulties can arise. Moving the jaws so the teeth meet up can improve jaw function. It can also make it easier to eat and chew. In addition to functional benefits, many patients notice an improvement in their smile’s appearance after jaw surgery.

Orthodontics and Jaw Surgery- Which Option Do I Need?

Orthodontics, like braces or invisible aligners, are often used to move the teeth. This can correct some bite and alignment issues but not all of them. If the jaw bones aren’t in alignment, getting the teeth into alignment can be difficult or impossible. We’ll work closely with your orthodontist to create a surgical plan that complements your orthodontic goals. Jaw surgery complements orthodontics for many of our patients.

Addressing only teeth alignment and neglecting jaw positioning and function can lead to long-term dental problems later. Uneven jaws can cause orthodontic shifting, poor facial aesthetics, periodontal issues, and joint pain if they aren’t properly treated and addressed. Jaw surgery creates a strong foundation for future dental work.

Preparing for Jaw Surgery

If you need jaw surgery, call our Austin, TX oral surgery practice to schedule a consultation. We provide a complete and comprehensive consultation using both models and x-rays. We use 3D models and computerized techniques to show patients alignment issues and to illustrate the positive impact that jaw surgery will have. You’ll see how your bite will improve and how your appearance will change.

We’ll work closely with your other dental providers, including your general dentist and your orthodontist. Jaw surgery is a delicate procedure and requires a collaborative approach for the best results.

 

Do You Need a Bone Graft?

Have you been missing one or more teeth for a long time? Are you considering dental implants?  If so, then you should be considering a bone graft.

Schedule a consultation today to find out how a bone graft could benefit you. Finding out if you need a bone graft is a painless procedure but you will need to be examined by an oral surgeon.

Benefits of a Boutique Dental Practice

Are you tired of feeling like a number, not a person, when you go to the dentist? Do you want better care, personalized attention, and the latest treatment technologies in dental care? Consider a boutique dental practice. These personalized practices approach dentistry differently than a traditional practice and provide patients with many unique benefits.

Hill Country Oral Surgery is proud to be a boutique oral surgery practice located in Austin, TX. Call us at 512-327-7233 to schedule an appointment or to learn more about our available dental and oral surgery services.

What Are the Benefits of a Boutique Dental Practice?

A boutique dental practice is a smaller, patient-oriented practice. Like a big box department store differs from a small independent shop, corporate and boutique dental practices differ, sometimes substantially. Both have benefits, but only a boutique practice can offer the personalized care that our patients desire.

Being a boutique practice allows us to offer patients a different kind of dental experience including benefits like:

  • Extensive Training– Our surgeons, Cavaretta and Dr. Rasmussen, are trained and experienced oral surgeons. We are dedicated to learning and are constantly striving to learn new skills and gain additional knowledge. Large, corporate practices often use inexperienced or minimally trained dentists.
  • Many Available Treatments– We offer a variety of oral surgery services including wisdom tooth extraction, impacted canine treatment, apicoectomies, jaw surgery, and dental implants.
  • Individualized Treatment– Each of our patients brings both their dental needs and their life experiences to our practice. Some patients find dental treatment scary and intimidating. Other patients may have medical needs that impact their care. Our patients vary in their budgets, insurance coverage, treatment priorities, and anatomy. We work with each patient to create an individualized care plan. We want to find solutions that work for you and that you’re comfortable with.
  • Consistency of Care– At Hill Country Oral Surgery, each patient develops a relationship with their surgeon and with the members of our staff. Our two surgeons are members of the Austin community. You won’t meet with a nameless, faceless, ever-changing surgeon here. You’ll know your oral surgeon and will receive consistent quality care with each visit.
  • State-of-the-Art Facility– Our facility is beautifully outfitted with the latest technologies in oral and maxillofacial surgery. We use 3D x-ray analysis, guided implant surgery, and 3D printing to provide our patients with the best available care.
  • Time– We take the time to listen to your questions, concerns, and thoughts. We want our patients to feel comfortable and give each patient our undivided time and attention. Building trust takes time.

Discover these benefits and more at Hill Country Oral Surgery.

How Do I Find a Boutique Dental Practice?

Finding a boutique dentist or oral surgeon can be challenging. Take your time, do your research, and keep looking if you’re unhappy with the quality of care you receive. Recommendations are a valuable way to find patient-focused dentists. We are grateful to our many wonderful patients for sharing our practice with friends and loved ones.

Boutique dental practices put the patient back into dentistry. We are excited to offer our patients some of the best care, training, and experience available in oral surgery. Call us to schedule a consultation at Hill Country Oral Surgery in Austin, TX.

 

 

 

Accidents Happen: How to Treat Injured Teeth

More than 5 million teeth are knocked out each year due to trauma dislodging the tooth from the socket. Teeth can be chipped, cracked, or displaced. Injuries can also affect the jawbone and gums. Dental injuries happen, and knowing what to do when they occur could be the difference between losing a tooth permanently and keeping it.

In Austin, TX, contact Hill Country Oral Surgery in the event of a dental injury. Our trained oral surgeons are qualified to treat many types of dental and facial trauma including facial lacerations, intraoral lacerations, avulsed (knocked-out) teeth, fractured facial bones, and fractured jaws.

Knocked Out Tooth? Seek Immediate Assistance

When a tooth is displaced or knocked out, the clock starts ticking. The sooner you obtain qualified dental assistance, the more likely you are to keep your tooth. The sooner a tooth is reimplanted, the better chances are for success. If you’ve lost your tooth, immediately start seeking dental care from an oral or maxillofacial surgeon.

Properly caring for the tooth while you wait to see the dentist can improve outcomes.

  • Do not rub or wipe the tooth as remnants of essential ligaments may still be attached to the tooth. These ligament remnants are needed for a successful reimplantation.
  • Hold the tooth only by the crown, not the root.
  • Store the tooth in salt water or milk until you’re able to get to an oral surgeon. Don’t wait; hurry in.
  • Seek immediate assistance from a qualified medical or dental professional and take all teeth and tooth fragments with you.

What Facial and Dental Injuries Can an Oral Surgeon Treat?

Our surgeons are well-trained in all types of facial and dental trauma. They are on-staff at local hospitals and provide emergency room coverage for many injuries. They have extensive training and hands-on experience in the latest methods for addressing these types of trauma. Our surgeons can treat soft tissue injuries, bone injuries, tooth problems, and trauma to other facial structures like the salivary glands.

Soft Tissue Injuries

Cuts and lacerations on the face are repaired with sutures. We strive to minimize scarring and repair using techniques that offer the best cosmetic results. We also carefully inspect the area to ensure surrounding facial structures, including nerves, salivary glands, etc., aren’t damaged. If trauma has affected these structures, we treat and address any problems.

Bone Injuries

Fractures of the jawbone or other facial bones can be treated by an oral surgeon. For some fractures, immobilization is needed. The jaw may need to be wired shut or plates and screws may be used to hold bones into position. When possible, plates and screws are often preferred as they shorten recovery times and allow patients to return to normal activities sooner. Our goal in treating bone injuries is to minimize change to facial appearance and minimize scarring.

Tooth Injuries

As trained oral surgeons, we have a lot experience helping patients with their teeth. We treat chips and fractures, dislodged teeth, and many other tooth concerns. Often, we collaborate with other specialists including endodontists and restorative dentists.

If teeth cannot be saved or repaired, we can place dental implants to restore a patient’s smile.

Dental injuries happen, and when they do, we have the experience, training, and skill to help you treat them. You can reach Hill Country Oral Surgery in Austin, TX by calling (512) 327-7233.