Our Services
 River Valley Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery provides a wide
range of services to care for your oral healthcare needs. We work with your family
dentist, dental specialist or physician to give you the optimal care.
Choose a link to go directly to the service, or browse the list and descriptions
or services yourself:
Anesthesia
For your surgical appointment, different types of anesthesia
are available to make your appointment as pleasant and comfortable as possible.
Minor procedures such as routine extractions, erupted wisdom teeth and minor biopsies
can be easily accomplished with local anesthesia. More complicated procedures involving
work in many different areas, and removal of multiple teeth, surgical removal of
teeth, or preprosthetic surgery are usually most pleasantly accomplished under general
anesthesia or I.V. sedation.
Young children ten are usually most comfortable going to sleep
for procedures. Our goal in managing children is to make their experiences as pleasant
as possible and not create any bad memories about going to the dentist. Older children who have experience in having
local anesthesia can be treated in this way if they are able
to be cooperative and remain still during the procedure.
If you have any doubts about their level of cooperation, a general anesthesia may be recommended.
General anesthesia or I.V. sedation is also recommended for
adults who are anxious or nervous about their upcoming surgery. General anesthesia
and I.V. sedation are good options for anxious patients. If you would like to take
advantage of these options, a consultation would be advised to determine if your
health status will allow general anesthesia.
Extractions
Many of our patients are seen for the routine removal
of teeth. If you feel you may need a tooth
out it is generally best to see your dentist prior to coming to our office. Modern
restorative dentistry has advanced to the point that most teeth if not too badly
damaged, can be saved. While our practice removes teeth we encourage all patients
to visit with their dentist about their treatment options and ways to preserve their
natural teeth. Recent advances in restorative dentistry, endodontics, periodontics,
orthodontics, and prosthodontics make maintaining your own teeth the smart choice.
Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth can be a source of many problems for both the
young adult and the adult. Wisdom teeth can cause infections as they try to come
in, cause damage to adjacent teeth due to gum problems and dental decay. Wisdom
teeth can cause growth of cysts and other pathology that can damage your jaw and
cause movement or loss of your adjacent teeth.
One of the main problems with wisdom teeth is that there
isn't enough room for them to erupt. Generally the older you are when you have impacted wisdom teeth removed
the more difficult they are to remove and the chance for post-operative problems is greater. Older patients generally have a longer recovery as well
as an increased risk of a numb lip and dry sockets. As the roots of impacted lower wisdom teeth
grow they can become entangled with the nerve that supplies feeling to the lower
lip. The chance of a numb lip in a 16-year-old with routine wisodm teeth extractions
is less than 1%, and increases with age. Recent studies
show that if wisdom teeth require removal, it should be done prior to the age of 25 years to avoid an increased risk of postoperative problems.
For these reasons we recommend having radiographs taken at
16 years old, or at the completion of orthodontics, whichever come first. Your dentist,
orthodontist or oral surgeon can then evaluate whether or not they can come in properly
and be useful teeth. If they can't come in, then your treatment options can be discussed.
Biopsy
Occasionally your dentist will find something on your screening
exam that is not entirely normal. For this reason they may send you to our office
for a consultation. A biopsy
is a procedure in which a piece or the entire lesion is removed to determine what
it is and if further treatment is necessary. The specimen would be sent to a lab
for microscopic analysis. The lab will
then bill you for these services. Biopsies are usually covered by medical
insurance. Most soft tissue biopsies are very routine. They can easily
be accomplished under local anesthesia and take less then 10 minutes. General anesthesia
is available if you would prefer. For more complicated biopsies of the bone and
jaws, general anesthesia is often preferred.
The vast majority of biopsies are precautionary and once
we know the diagnosis, no further treatment is necessary. Some biopsies however
signal the need for treatment that may require medications, more surgery, check
up visits, or referral to another specialist. Should follow-up be recommended, it
is very important that you keep your appointments, otherwise you could place your
health in jeopardy.
Dental Implants
Teeth are lost for a variety of reasons. The good news is
that now some teeth can be replaced without dentures or bridges through the use
of implants. Implants are artificial teeth that can be used to replace a single
tooth, multiple teeth, or stabilize a denture that just won't stay put. The applications
for implants are increasing on a daily basis and can replace your missing teeth.
If you are interested in whether implants are a treatment option. Please talk to
your dentist or prosthodontist, or schedule a consultation with us.
Preprosthetic Surgery
Some people have problems wearing dentures or will be needing
dentures soon. We work with your dentist or prosthodontist to get your mouth ready
for dentures. The most common reason that people need surgery for dentures is irregular
bone or bone bumps called tori. Smoothing your jaws to allow you to have a more
comfortable and stable denture is a routine office procedure. Your dentist will
work with us to provide you with the best fitting replacements for your teeth.
Orthognathic Surgery
Some people's jaws don't line up properly due to problems
with jaw growth. This may leave someone with a jaw that is too large, too small,
too short, too long or whose teeth simply do not match up. These jaw growth problems
or dentofacial deformities can make something as simple as chewing an ordeal. We
work with your orthodontist and general dentist to correct these problems. Usually
misalignment of teeth and jaws can be easily corrected with braces, however, in
certain instances braces alone may not be enough. In those individual's surgery
to move and properly realign a jaw may be necessary. Your orthodontist or dentist
may refer you to our office for a consultation to discuss your treatment options.
Please be aware that growth patterns can change over time. If you would notice a
change in the way your teeth or the teeth of your children are lining up, this could
signal a problem with jaw growth. We would urge you to contact your dentist immediately
for an orthodontic consult. Early intervention in growing children can correct growth
problems early eliminating the need for more extensive treatment later. If in doubt
see your orthodontist early .
Impacted Canines
It is not uncommon for upper canines (cuspids or eye teeth)
to remain unerupted beyond the time of normal eruption. These teeth often develop in an unusual
position and become wedged up against the roots of the lateral incisors.
If left there long enough, they can damage the roots of those teeth. Your dentist
will monitor the eruption of your teeth and refer you to an orthodontist or oral
surgeon for evaluation if teeth are not coming in on time. If a canine is impacted
we help your orthodontist bring the tooth into your mouth. This is done by surgically attaching
an orthodontic bracket to the tooth to which is attached a wire or chain. This is then attached to your braces which allows your
orthodontist to guide the tooth into position.
Facial Trauma
We provide a full range of services through our office and
local hospital emergency rooms for those people who have been injured. We provide
coverage at Trinity and Illini hospitals directly through their maxillofacial
trauma call roster and indirectly by direct personal referral (request at the emergency
room) direct physician referral (your doctor will request that we see you) or referral
from outlying hospitals. We are included in the treatment of anything from minor
cuts to extensive facial lacerations and severe facial fractures. You can gain access
to us through the hostpital, your physician, your dentist or directly through our
office.
While facial injuries are rarely life threatening the most
important thing is to be evaluated. If you are uncertain if you are injured go to
your emergency room, your physician or dentist's office or call us for an emergency
evaluation. We are always available and have time set aside for these occurances.
With jaw injuries it is sometimes particularly hard to tell if a fracture has occurred.
If you have been injured and your teeth do not fit together properly or have pain
on biting or pain on moving your jaw or a loose tooth it is important to be seen
for evaluation. Jaw fractures are not difficult to treat if seen in a timely manner.
Trauma to Teetch
The knocking out of teeth is a true emergency. If the teeth
are not promptly restored to the sockets they will be lost. If a tooth is completely
knocked out the best thing to do is rinse it off gently with Hank's solution and
replace it in the socket. Do not touch the root of the tooth or try to clean the
root even if it is dirty. If you can't replace the tooth, the tooth may be placed
in the cheek, in a bottle of hank's solution (sometimes available in public facilities),
in milk, saliva or saline or wrapped in a moist gauze or cloth. Immediately proceed
to our office if during normal business hours or if not page us first (309 797 1770).
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