Faculté de médecine d’Alger Année universitaire 2017 /2018

1ère année de médecine dentaire Module d’Anglais

SURGICAL DENTISTRY

Oral surgeons consult patients, treat inflammations of the jaw and periosteum
and salivary glands, also cysts, granulomas, diseases of the temporomandibular
joint, traumas to the jaws, inflammations of soft tissues (abscesses,
lymphadenitis, etc.). Tooth extraction is the most common surgical dental
procedure. It is a serious surgical procedure, so it is important to know that after
extracting a tooth there is an individual healing period when dentist’s
recommendations must be followed.
Common reasons for tooth extraction
 unerupted teeth
 orthodontic reasons
 purulent process around the root of the tooth
 fracture of the tooth or the root
 severe misalignment of the tooth
 sever decay
 advanced periodontal disease.
Wisdom teeth are exceptional not only because they erupt very late in life
(usually in adulthood only), but also because they can cause many problems.
They are hard to reach, their roots are often curved. Wisdom tooth extraction is a
complicated surgical procedure.
Impacted or retained teeth are formed but unerupted teeth which do not perform
chewing and so are recommended to be extracted. The surgery should be
planned in advance due to varying healing period, it should be avoided before
holidays, important meetings or weddings. It is reasonable to expect the face to
be swollen for 3-5 days. Oral surgeon will evaluate your individual situation
during the first visit.
Non-traumatic tooth extraction
The aim is to extract the tooth without damaging surrounding tissues, including
the gums. The whole procedure (mobilization of the tooth, separation and
removal of small fragments) is carried out using smaller instruments. The tooth
socket is often closed. Non-traumatic tooth extraction is useful for implant or
prosthetic treatment, especially in aesthetically important regions. The treated
Faculté de médecine d’Alger Année universitaire 2017 /2018
1ère année de médecine dentaire Module d’Anglais

region heals quicker, there are dramatically less complications and discomfort
for the patient.
Treatment of alveolitis
Alveolitis is inflammation caused by infection in the tooth socket (the space
where the root used to be) when a blood clot doesn’t form or is lost.
Timely treatment is not difficult. There is medium severity pain, bad breath.
After anesthesia bleeding is provoked to form a blood clot. If treatment is late,
the disease becomes more severe. Treatment is also more difficult: the wound is
irrigated, medicament dressing is inserted into the tooth socket and the patient
has to come for visits every 2–3 days until the symptoms pass and the wound is
covered by healing tissue.
Dental cyst
A cyst is a lesion around the tip of the root. All dental cysts are removed
surgically. They are especially common for patients with impacted or retained
teeth. If a tooth root is integrated into the cyst, its tip is removed and filled. The
most common cause of dental cysts is non-vital pulp (the nerve of the tooth) and
untreated root canals.