You should be made aware of how prevalent orofacial pain is. Face, neck, and mouth discomfort are common complaints. Conservative therapies work well for some people. Oral surgery is the answer for others. After a comprehensive examination and diagnostic evaluation, a case-by-case determination is made regarding the best treatment for orofacial pain. The immediate objective is pain relief, but oral surgery may be required to address the underlying issue and stop the problem from recurring.

Oral Surgery For Trigeminal Neuralgia And Orofacial Pain

Trigeminal neuralgia is an excruciating condition of the face that tends to come and go in sudden shock-like episodes. The pain is typically excruciating, shooting, stabbing, or burning, typically brought on by light contact. There may be several short-lived bursts of discomfort that follow one another quickly.

A dull, persistent ache, a sharp stabbing pain, or any mixture of the two may be felt in the orofacial area. Additionally, some patients report migraines, difficulty eating or chewing, sore muscles, and popping, clicking, or locking of the jaw joint. Why do these signs occur? There could be several problems at play, such as:

• Bruxism, or grinding and clenching of the teeth
• Missing teeth or tooth misalignment
• Injury or trauma to the face, neck, or jaw
• Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder
• Facial nerve disorders, such as trigeminal neuralgia

The fifth cranial, trigeminal nerve conveys pain information to the brain. When the nerve is damaged, pain signals are sent at the wrong times, and the aches can be very severe. TN is considered the most painful medical condition ever to exist.

The pains have been variably compared to a powerful electric shock shooting through the face or intense stabbing and burning sensations. More women than males are affected by TN, and the right side of the face is typically the only side to experience pain. The majority of those affected are over 50, though the disease can also affect young adults and, very infrequently, children. Many times, non-invasive treatments can successfully reduce symptoms and avoid the need for surgery. Patients may find relief from an oral appliance, such as a stabilization splint or mouthguard, gentle jaw stretches, and facial relaxation exercises, over-the-counter pain relievers, ice, and heat packs, prescription muscle relaxants, or anti-inflammatory drugs, alternative therapies, such as trigger-point injections, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), acupuncture, and biofeedback.

Experts say surgical intervention for facial pain should only be used as a last option. Oral surgery, however, may be an option if conservative measures fall short in relieving symptoms and patients cannot fully appreciate their lives due to pain.

Orofacial surgery with 3D Dentistry

The orofacial pain specialists at 3D Dentistry are skilled at treating various conditions connected to the mouth, face, and jaw. We can put you on the path to relief if you’re experiencing acute or chronic pain and want to attempt surgery as a painkiller. Call us at (941) 253-2300 for more information about 3D Dentistry or to arrange an appointment to review non-invasive treatments and oral surgery possibilities for treating orofacial pain.

One of the most frequent operations in oral surgery is tooth extraction. Even though nobody ever wishes to lose a tooth, doing so when your dentist or oral surgeon advises it can be advantageous medically and improve your mouth’s general health. Oral surgeons perform tooth extractions regularly, not just for pulling wisdom teeth. There are many reasons why you could need your teeth pulled.

How Tooth Extraction at 3D Dentistry Protects Your Smile

Your dental care may have two main objectives: to avoid problems from occurring or to stop them from getting worse, depending on your individual oral health needs. In some extreme instances of oral health issues, extraction of a compromised tooth is the only practical way to stop further damage to your oral health before it can cause more issues. Extracting a patient’s wisdom tooth is a common procedure. But there are other reasons a tooth might need to be extracted:

• Broken Tooth Structure: A molar shouldn’t always be extracted just because it is broken. Most broken or fractured teeth can be successfully repaired and saved with the proper custom-designed restoration. But to save and sustain a restoration on a damaged tooth, enough sound, natural tooth structure must be left. Tooth damage that is too extreme to repair can occasionally endanger the oral tissues and neighboring tooth structures. If the tooth cannot be saved, you should have it extracted and replaced as soon as feasible to preserve the rest of your oral health.
• Infection: Though progressive infection in their structures can also endanger teeth, structural damage to some teeth is less prevalent. Such an infection, also called dental decay can spread deeper into your tooth’s structure the longer it is left untreated. You can save and keep most of your healthy, natural tooth structure if tooth decay is caught and treated on time. Extreme tooth decay, on the other hand, may make saving the tooth impossible and even put your general dental health at risk by increasing the likelihood that the infection will spread to other teeth.
• Impacted teeth: Third molar impaction, also known as wisdom tooth impaction, is another prevalent cause for some people to require tooth extraction, albeit less frequently than tooth decay. When there is no space at the end of your dental ridges for the third molars to erupt correctly, wisdom teeth become impactions. 

Your teeth will need to be replaced after it has been extracted. Your jawbone won’t receive enough stimulation if the gap is left unfilled, which could result in it losing density and power. You may experience nutritional deficits if your eating is hampered because chewing can also aid in the release of nutrients into the bloodstream.

3D Dentistry Performs Safe Extractions

Generally speaking, tooth extraction is more of a focus than a specialty. We at 3D Dentistry can assist you in regaining self-assurance in your mouth. To make an appointment with Dr. Victor Bustos right away, call our office at (941) 253-2300. The doctors at 3D Dentistry are concerned about your general and oral health.

Numerous procedures in cosmetic dentistry can give patients a whiter, more radiant mouth. These procedures may involve veneers, dental restoration, teeth whitening, etc. Finding the ideal professional to perform cosmetic dentistry is the biggest problem. Some dentists market a specific area of expertise in aesthetic dentistry. Others may have a distinct field of expertise, like family dentistry. Others might limit their service to a specific community or area. But what does that mean for you when you’re looking for a new dentist? 

Can A General Dentist Perform Cosmetic Dentistry?

Yes, a general dentist can perform most “cosmetic” treatments. However, there are instances when it will be beneficial to look for someone whose practice is more dedicated to or concentrated on those procedures. Depending on what is required, a patient may need to look for a prosthodontist, cosmetic dentist, or even a regular dentist.

Any dental treatment that enhances the look of teeth, gums, or the bite is considered cosmetic dentistry. Its primary goal is to improve the grin’s appearance in terms of color, alignment, shape, size, and general smile appearance. Among other things, some of these treatments include tooth restoration, veneers, and teeth whitening. In general, a general dentist can assist with the following:

• Dental fillings – A filling is used to repair a tiny hole in a tooth, also known as a cavity. A dentist removes the decayed tissue from the cavity before filling it with a filling substance.
• Dental Crowns – Dental crowns are coverings that are affixed to broken teeth. When fillings are ineffective, crowns are used to safeguard, cover, and restore the shape of your teeth. Metal, porcelain, resin, and ceramic can all be used to create dental caps.
• Tooth Extractions – An extraction is a process used to remove a tooth from the gum. A regular dentist, an oral surgeon, or a periodontist typically performs it.
• Implants – Dental implants are medical devices surgically inserted into the mandible to improve a person’s look or ability to chew.
• Braces – Dental braces are orthodontic appliances that straighten and align teeth, assist in positioning them concerning a person’s bite, and work to better dental health.

Nevertheless, a general dentist can perform many of the procedures listed under cosmetic dentistry, particularly in rural areas with fewer of them. Before visiting a cosmetic dentist, patients with a general dentist should determine if they perform these treatments. By allowing you to schedule an appointment online, the Dental Health Society also makes it simple to locate a doctor. Going to a cosmetic dentist might be a better option in more complicated situations because they may have more experience than a general dentist.

Cosmetic Dentistry with 3D Dentistry

Overall, cosmetic dentistry is a field of emphasis rather than a specialty. It’s crucial to consider the procedure type when choosing whether to visit a general dentist rather than a cosmetic dentist. At 3D Dentistry, we can help you regain confidence in your smile. Call us at (941) 253-2300 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Victor Bustos today. The dentists at 3D Dentistry care about your oral health and overall wellbeing. 

Many people experience a condition called trigeminal neuralgia. TN can cause pain on one side of the face that feels like being shocked. It’s a chronic condition that affects the trigeminal nerve. This nerve is responsible for carrying sensations from your face to your brain. If you have TN, even the slightest touch to your face can trigger extreme pain.

Is It A Tooth Ache Or Trigeminal Neuralgia?

TN is often misdiagnosed. Your dentist can confuse TN for a standard toothache in its earliest stages. Pain is triggered when someone chews or talks, but pain can also be triggered by touching the face, brushing against the cheek, or shaving. Symptoms for TN can be confused with a toothache. Those symptoms are:

• Flare-ups of pain come on rapidly, targeting one side of the face. These flares of pain can last a few seconds or minutes. Some of these flare-ups can last hours.
• Patients describe the pain as stabbing, sharp, almost electric shocks that target the side of their face. 
• There is no set age for TN to show up in patients. However, the average age of TN patients is about 50. Some patients with TN are older than that, and some are younger.
• Unlike traditional toothaches, TN rarely causes patients to awaken in the middle of the night.
• The flare-ups can target any part of the face. Patients can have pain in their forehead, cheek, or lower jaw.
• Patients with TN are generally unsure when the pain will be triggered. There can be years between flare-ups. Some patients have reported flare-ups that seem to have no end.

Trigeminal neuralgia can be treated with medications. Most dentists will prescribe Tegretol or other painkillers. If the symptoms of TN become too severe or begin to affect other nerves in the face, your dentist will refer you to an oral surgeon. Microvascular Decompression, or MVD, is a surgery to relieve trigeminal neuralgia symptoms.

Your oral surgeon has many other treatment options when helping patients recover from trigeminal neuralgia. Your dentist can burn the nerves to cause the nerves to go numb and interrupt the pain signals. There are compression therapies to compress the nerve, radio-surgery, and Gamma knife surgeries. All of these procedures are alternatives to invasive surgeries. There is a risk that the patient will have another flare-up of TN pain after. Trigeminal neuralgia is caused when a blood vessel presses against the trigeminal nerve. When a blood vessel presses against a nerve, it’s called vascular compression. When the pulse of an artery rubs against a nerve, it wears down the insulation of the nerve. Myelin leaves the nerve exposed, causing pain in the area around the nerve.

Trigeminal Neuralgia Treatment with 3D Dentistry

At 3D Dentistry, our oral surgeons and dentists are trained to treat Trigeminal neuralgia. Our oral surgeons can diagnose and treat this painful condition and ensure any flare-ups are handled efficiently. If you have a toothache that has become chronic pain, call us at (941) 253-2300 or visit us online at https://3ddentistry.co/ to schedule an appointment with Dr. Victor Bustos.