ArkLaTex Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

06/17/2022

Throwback Thursday, ArkLaTex Oral Surgery style! This patient came to see us as a 9 year-old in 2013 for evaluation and management of a mandibular cyst (blue outline), which was associated with his lower right second molar and had expanded to surround the roots of the first molar. Surgical management involved removal of the cyst as well as the second molar. Almost nine years later, the patient returned for removal of his wisdom teeth (white Xs). In the area of the treated cyst, there is no sign of recurrence. The third molar (red outline in both photos) moved into the second molar position as it developed. All in all, this patient could not have had a better outcome. This summer, his remaining wisdom teeth and an extra wisdom tooth (light blue arrow) will be removed.

06/08/2022

Wisdom Tooth Wednesday! This patient was sent to our office to have her third molars evaluated. She had an upper right wisdom tooth (top left of image) which appeared to be floating away from the second molar. A CT scan was taken to further evaluate, and a pathologic process was found to be forming around the third molar (outlined in blue on multiple images). The third molars were removed, including the cyst around the upper right wisdom tooth. The last image shows the upper right third molar within the cyst, and adjacent to it is the upper left third molar. After review by an oral pathologist, the diagnosis of a dentigerous cyst was confirmed. This cyst would have continued to enlarge over time without treatment. This was a great catch by the general dentist who referred the patient. Sometimes the routine x-rays at a dentist office may seem unnecessary, but there is good reason for taking them!

06/02/2022

This case presents us a unique opportunity to see what can happen when treatment recommended by your dentist is delayed. This patient was sent to our office for removal of his wisdom teeth due to developing periodontal pockets around the back of the lower second molars (red outlines), which were impossible to keep clean. At the time of our initial consultation, the patient wasn't having any discomfort and did not follow through with the recommended treatment. Fast forward a few years, and the patient is having pain. It is easy to see the difference in the two radiographs -- a significant loss of bone between the second and third molar. This patient ended up losing the second molar as well as the wisdom tooth. In addition, because the tooth is completely developed, it is in close proximity to the inferior alveolar nerve running through the jaw which greatly increases the potential of numbness in the lower lip and chin. Save yourself a lot of potential complications and get those wisdom teeth out around age 15-16!

05/26/2022

Timing of third molar removal is very important! Here is another example from last week that shows a complication from not having the third molars removed at an ideal time. This 35 year-old male has developed a cyst (blue line surrounding dark area) from the developmental lining around the third molar. This poses several major problems for the patient:

1. Cysts will continue to get larger until treated appropriately.
2. The cyst has created a large cavity within the mandible, nearly the whole volume of the jaw in that area. A fractured mandible from a relatively low force injury is possible.
3. The third molar and the cyst are in direct contact with the inferior alveolar nerve (red), which supplies the lip and chin with its feeling. Appropriate management of the cyst and impacted wisdom tooth has a high likelihood of leaving the patient with no feeling in the lip and chin on the left side.

If the patient had his wisdom teeth removed in his teen years, these complications could have been completely avoided.

05/23/2022

Don't let a fear of the unknown keep you from the smile you want and deserve! Patients are almost always anxious before their first implant, until they see how simple the procedure and recovery can be! We've placed over 10,000 dental implants in our practice -- experience matters!

05/12/2022

Lately, we've been getting lots of questions about whether pineapple juice helps with swelling after wisdom tooth removal. The jury is still out on that topic, as the scientific study of bromelain (the anti-inflammatory enzyme in pineapples) in conjunction with third molar removal hasn't really been done in any substantive numbers. There is sporadic scientific evidence that makes it reasonable to conclude that it may provide some benefit. Maybe the recent TikTok craze will inspire more research on the subject!

Here are a couple things to keep in mind if you are going to be drinking pineapple juice to try to avoid swelling:

1. On the day of surgery, it is extremely important to have an empty stomach, so do not drink any pineapple juice that morning.
2. Pineapple juice is very acidic, which may not feel all that good to your mouth after surgery. A relatively bland non-chew diet is recommended after the procedure for 5 days.
3. Swelling, in general, will typically be worst on the third day after surgery.

05/05/2022

Please see our main page at the following address:
https://www.facebook.com/arklatexoralsurgery/

05/02/2022

We are experts in managing severe dental anxiety! If you suffer from fear or anxiety in a dental office, you are not alone! So many dental phobic patients are embarrassed and believe that they are a "problem patient." Dental anxiety is FAR more common than you might think, and we have tons of experience getting patients the care they need, in a way that makes it easy. If you put your trust in us once, you'll see the ArkLaTex difference!

04/25/2022

No one wants to sit for hours in a dental office! We realize that your time is valuable, and we go above and beyond to be efficient with your time and keep waiting to a minimum. Let us "WOW" you with the ArkLaTex difference!

04/21/2022

With summer vacation fast approaching, it is a good time to discuss the ideal timing for the removal of wisdom teeth (third molars). In most cases, the wisdom teeth are most easily removed between the ages of 14 and 17. A radiograph from a 15 year-old patient is attached showing the ideal stage for removal. Typically during this range, the roots have not developed completely which yield several advantages.

First, our lower jaw has a nerve that travels through it to supply the teeth, lower lip, and chin with feeling. As the wisdom tooth roots develop, the two structures become more closely approximated. In some cases, this will increase the risk of having numbness after removal of the tooth.

Second, the residual cavity in the jaw after removal is smaller when the tooth is incompletely developed, which hastens the recovery time.

When removed at the proper time, the great majority of our patients find the procedure to be MUCH easier than anticipated. Most patients are able to resume normal activity within a couple days after removal.

Over the next couple of weeks, we'll review some of the potential complications from not having the wisdom teeth removed. Stay tuned!

04/18/2022

Come see why patients and their friends and families keep coming back to us year after year!

04/14/2022

Don't go viral! Dental implants can help!

“There He Is!!! & Here They Go!!! https://t.co/rLSKZCf2UE”