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Oral Surgeon serving Hagerstown MD, Chambersburg PA, Martinsburg WV - Oral Surgery

Reconstructive Surgery of the Face and Jaws

13325 Wisdom Way Hagerstown MD
(301) 791-1700
30 Parkwood Drive Chambersburg PA
(717) 264-7828

ADA Says Dental Care Should Continue

ADA Says Dental Care Should Continue

woman in braces during examination of teeth near dentist

With a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic upon us, some people are delaying visits to see their dentist or oral surgeon. Unlike March 2020, however, the American Dental Association is not currently recommending postponement of dental visits. Medical providers and staff have had a great deal of training since the initial outbreak. Procedures are in place, personal protective equipment such as masks, goggles, and face shields are widely available and in use, and patients are more aware of their role in ensuring a safe dental visit.

According to ADA President Daniel J. Klemmedson, D.D.S., M.D., “Dental care should continue during the pandemic because dentistry is essential health care,” Dr. Klemmedson said. “In March, we didn’t have then what we have now — specific guidance. I know this guidance works.” Dr, Klemmedson said that there is no documented transmission of COVID-19 in a clinical dental setting to date.

If you would like information on the safety procedures we have in place or the services we provide at Oral & Facial Surgery please feel free to contact us.

COVID and Cracked Teeth – Bruxism

Woman working on a laptop at home and surrounded by children.

Did you know that a pandemic can affect your teeth?

That’s right–as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting anxiety, dentists and oral surgeons are seeing an increase in teeth grinding, also known as bruxism.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, public health actions, such as social distancing, can make people feel isolated and lonely and can increase stress and anxiety. Patients worried over health risks, job loss, and finances are increasingly clench their jaws and grinding or even breaking their teeth. Chronic teeth grinding can wear down tooth enamel, cause fractures and even tooth loss. It can also cause headaches and neck and jaw pain. Sometimes, a patient isn’t even aware that this is happening, as teeth grinding often occurs unconsciously when awake or sleeping. When you add a reluctance in some patients to visit a dentist or oral surgeon during the pandemic, it can be a recipe for adverse neck, jaw, and dental consequences.

Avoiding Stress-Related Bruxism

It can be difficult to relax when surrounded by so many pandemic-induced warnings and messages each day, but stepping away from your devices and turning off media periodically can help. Stretching, breathing exercises, and changing your posture have been found to relieve stress. If the problem is persistent, you may want to consider talking with a licensed therapist or counselor who can help with anxiety management. Sometimes bruxism is related to a sleep disorder, and your doctor may refer you to a sleep specialist.

Treatment

Your dentist or oral surgeon can perform an exam to help you determine the cause and best treatment for bruxism. They may check for broken or missing teeth or abnormalities that lead to teeth grinding. Sometimes splints or mouth guards are recommended to keep teeth separated and avoid damage. If the problem is more severe, the oral surgeon may reshape the teeth or use a crown to repair the damage.

Do you have a questions about Oral and Facial Surgery, our practice, or services. We have offices in Maryland and West Virginia and serve patients throughout the Tri-state area,  including Hagerstown, Chambersburg, and Martinsburg. You may contact us here.

The information provided on this website should not be used to diagnose or treat any medical condition and is not meant to take the place of professional medical advice. If you think you have a medical problem, please seek the advice of a physician. Call 911 for all medical emergencies.

Back to School– Time for a Mouth Guard

Back to school preparation and safety has take on a new meaning in 2020. If your child is going back to a classroom and participating in fall sports, make sure their new supplies include a mouth guard. Remember, the cost of a mouthguard is less expensive than the cost to treat a facial injury. Here’s some advice from the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons:

Mouth guard info graphic from the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. The text content is provided within the post. Play it Safe With the Right Equipment!

There are 3 Types of Mouth Guards

  • Stock mouth guards Pre-formed and may offer a bulky fit.
  • Custom-fitted mouth guards Made by a dentist.
  • Boil-and-bite mouth guards Made by softening in boiling water and placed in the mouth to shape.

Did You Know?

  • Athletes are 60 times more likely to suffer harm to their teeth if they’re not wearing a mouth guard.
  • 11%–18% of sports injuries are related to the face.
  • 3%–39% of all dental injuries are sports-related.
  • Children ages 7 to 11 are most vulnerable to sports-related mouth injuries.
  • Males are 2 times more likely to experience a facial sports injury than females, most commonly injuring the two front teeth.
  • $500 million is spent replacing and repairing the more than 5 million teeth injured or knocked out every year.
  • 67% of parents admit their child doesn’t wear a mouth guard during organized sports.

Prevention is the Best Policy

You don’t have to play at the professional level to sustain a serious head injury. 100 percent of athletes in contact or
collision sports should wear a mouth guard.

Mouth Guards Should Be

  • Fitted, so it does not misalign the jaw and throw off the bite
  • Lightweight
  • Strong
  • Easy to clean
  • The proper size to cover the upper and/or lower teeth and gums

Learn more about facial protection and mouth guards at: MyOMS.org/SaveFace

 

Sources: American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, www.MyOMS.org
www.ada.org/~/media/ADA/Science%20and%20Research/Files/patient_69.ashx; Meadow D, Lindner G, Needleman H. Oral trauma in children. Pediatr Dent. 1994;6:248–51; Young, E. J., Macias, C. R., & Stephens, L. (2015). Common Dental Injury Management in Athletes. Sports Health, 7(3), 250–255. doi.org/10.1177/1941738113486077; Sports-Related Dental Injuries and Sports Dentistry, www.dentalcare.com/en-US/dental-education/continuing-education/ ce127/ce127.aspx; Sane J. Maxillofacial and dental injuries in contact team sports. Proc Finn Dent Soc. 1988;84(Suppl 6-7):1–45; Welch CL, Thomson WM, Kennedy R N Z Dent J. 2010 Dec; 106(4):137-42; Report: 2011 Protective Sports Gear Survey by the American Association of Orthodontists

This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

 

What to Expect at Your Dental Visit After COVID-19

Dentist wearing face mask and holding folder that reads COVID-19.The COVID-19 pandemic has changed a lot of things about our day-to-day lives, including dental appointments. Your health and safety are as important to us as they are to you. Every concern you’ve had, we’ve had too. As your dentists, we have reviewed all of the expert guidance and research to make sure we’re taking every measure to keep patients and staff safe. Here’s what you can expect in our office:

Before Your Appointment

  • To make sure patients are healthy, our team may call you to ask you some health-related questions before your scheduled visit.
  • You may be asked to limit the number of people you bring with you or allow older children to go into the office without a parent.
  • Some additional cleaning and sanitation measures will be done after each patient leaves to prepare the space for you.

At Your Appointment

  • Many cities and states are asking people to wear face masks in public. You’ll be asked to wear one to your appointment as well.
  • The dental team will take your temperature and may repeat the health questions asked before your appointment.
  • High-touch items like toys or magazines may be removed from the waiting room.
  • The dental team may wear additional protective equipment, including face masks, plastic face shields, goggles and surgical gowns.

After Your Appointment

  • If you start to experience symptoms of COVID-19 within 2 days of your appointment, call to alert the office staff so those who came into contact with you may be tested for the disease.
  • Schedule your next appointment on your way out. Your oral health is connected to your overall health, so one of the many ways you can stay healthy during these times is to keep up with regular dental care. We are here for you.

We want you to feel comfortable when you come in for your appointment. Please reach out to us and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you have about our new safety measures. See you soon!

Courtesy: The American Dental Association

Meet Ryan: Oral Pathology and Reconstructive Surgery

Ryan was referred to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon after a tooth extraction revealed an aggressive tumor in his jaw. This is his story about undergoing fibula free flap reconstruction. From the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

Transcript

Ryan:

I had a pain in my right jaw, tooth. So, went to my dentist, my general dentist. And they pulled the tooth, but when they pulled the tooth, they saw that it was a cyst under. They recommended for me to see an oral surgeon. When the initial diagnosed it, it was a cyst, it was it could be cancer, we have to test it. And luckily it was not cancerous. So just aggressive tumor that was eating away at the bone in my jaw. Eventually the decision was made to have reconstructive jaw surgery.

Oral Surgeon:

Ryan had Ameloblastoma, which is a tumor in the mandible that’s benign, but aggressive, and it needed to be taken out. And, so we were able to do that, but in order to do that successfully, we had to replace the bone that we took out. So our options were, we can borrow some tissue or bone. In this case, for Ryan, we borrowed it from the lower leg and we transplant into Ryan and to reconstruct a jaw. Often patients like Ryan come in with a lot of anxiety from a procedure like this, and that they’re afraid they won’t be able to return to a normal life, the normal daily activities, their job. Ryan is an active runner, who wanted to be able to dance at his wedding. He wanted to be able to speak at his job. He wanted to be able to get back to running.

Ryan:

So it was scary. I’m a big runner, this is kinda what I do, to kinda let steam off. So I was very nervous about it. The surgery entailed, I guess the entire day. Showing up at the hospital, getting prepared for surgery, I think surgery was eight hours. Eight to 10 hour surgery. The recovery, I think is pretty fast for such a major surgery and kind of issue. And I would say, my life immediately after surgery, six months was easily just back to the person I was, doing the things that I do. But it was a pretty fast recovery that honestly surprised me.

Oral Surgeon:

I think people come to an Oral Maxillofacial Surgeon to do this procedure because, I think we are able to offer the full scope of the treatment. And by that, I mean, we can remove the tumor, the affected part of the jaw, we can harvest bone and we can reconstruct the part of the jaw that needs to be replaced. We can perform neurografting to return sensation to the lip and chin. And we can also place dental implants at the time of the original surgery, or down the road, to give the patient back their bite. And I think that’s what patients really want when they come to see us, is that they wanna really get back to the form that they were before they were affected by this tumor.

Ryan:

All my oral surgeons during this process have been, I think remarkable doctors. They have been both direct with me, of telling me what’s wrong, what can do. But not overly aggressive and in saying, “Let’s do surgery.” Taking a much more conservative approach first, and then kinda using surgery as a last resort. The doctors during the entire process were excellent.

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