Because injury to the face can be such a traumatic experience for patients, a specialist is needed to ensure that the treatment and healing process will have as little impact as possible on long-term function and appearance.
The Board Certified Oral Surgeons at Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates of WNY are uniquely equipped to treat facial trauma.
Our oral surgeons are on staff at local area hospitals and are trained to cover facial injuries such as:
- Intra oral (within the mouth) lacerations
- Facial lacerations
- Avulsed (knocked out) teeth
- Fractured facial bones (cheek, nose, or eye socket)
- Fractured jaws (upper and lower jaw)
The Nature of Facial Trauma
Facial trauma results from any number of factors. Motor vehicle accidents, falls, sports injuries, violence and work related injuries are the most common causes. Injuries can range from cracked or missing teeth, to very severe damage done to the skin and bones of the face.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Suturing is used to repair lacerations and other soft tissue injuries to the face. Care is taken to not only repair the injury to maximize the cosmetic result. But our Board Certified Oral and Maxillofacial surgeons are specially trained and proficient at diagnosing and treating all types of facial lacerations and soft tissue injuries.
Bone Injuries
Facial bone fractures are treated much like body fractures. After locating the fracture, identifying its severity and taking the patient’s age and health into consideration, a treatment plan is formed.
One treatment option includes aligning the fractured jaws properly then wiring the jaws together. Other instances will be best treated by rigid fixation, where small plates and screws are surgically placed at the site. This technique is often preferred, as it improves the recovery period by allowing the patient to return to normal function more rapidly.
The goal of any procedure is to effectively and thoroughly treat the facial fracture while minimally impacting the patient’s appearance.
Teeth and Surrounding Dental Structure Injuries
Injury to the teeth is common and typically involves the expertise of certain dental specialists. Oral surgeons treat supporting bone fractures and replant displaced or missing teeth.
In the event that a tooth is "knocked out", it should be placed in milk or salt water. The tooth should not be wiped off. The remaining ligaments are vital to replanting success. Time is of the essence, because the survival of the tooth is increased the sooner it is reinserted. The patient should contact their dentists or oral surgeon immediately. If a natural tooth cannot be replanted or repaired, dental implants are recommended.