Oral Surgery

The Dentists at Brinton Lake in Glen Mills has the best Oral Surgeon between West Chester, PA and Wilmington, DE.

Experience. Modern technology. Safety. These are the qualities our doctor brings to the table every day he performs surgery. Oral surgery is an exact and delicate science. Trust your health and well-being to a surgeon with the training and credentials to get the results you deserve. As our Oral Surgeon is on-site in our Glen Mills office along with our Dentists, Orthodontists, and Periodontist, you’re guaranteed the best care between West Chester, PA and Wilmington, DE.

Around our late teens or early twenties, our wisdom teeth (third molars) begin to arrive. In many cases, however, the jaw is not large enough to accommodate the extra teeth and they become impacted, remaining under the gum. Impacted teeth can cause several further complications: infection, crowding and damage to adjacent teeth, cysts that permanently damage the jaw. While it is difficult to predict whether your impacted teeth will cause such damage, it is highly likely complications will arise. Regular x-rays help your surgeon track your wisdom teeth and make decisions about removal. Also, it is usually much easier to remove wisdom teeth and impacted teeth before complications arise at a young age – usually 15 or 16.

After surgery, patients can expect varying Elevels of swelling and discomfort. Dr. Kurtzman takes this into consideration and does everything possible to minimize pain and recovery time.

If a biopsy reveals cancerous cells, surgery can be performed to remove the affected area. Radiation therapy is also sometimes used for small tumors. This involves high-energy rays that damage cancer cells and stop them from growing. Radiation can be effective before surgery by shrinking the tumor to ease removal during surgery or after surgery to destroy any remaining cancer cells. If you have a suspicious area, please contact us to schedule a consultation.

Sometimes, after minor oral surgery, you may have pain, bleeding and swelling. This section offers some advice on dealing with these problems. Your dentist or oral and maxillofacial surgeon will give you advice too.

An oral and maxillofacial surgeon is a dental specialist with at least four years of extra university training in this area. If you have any questions about your treatment, or about your care after surgery, ask your dentist or oral surgeon.

If you have any of the following problems after oral surgery, call your dentist or oral surgeon right away:

• If you are bleeding a lot and it has been four hours, or longer, since your surgery
• If you have the feeling that you are going to throw up (nausea)
• If you are throwing up (vomiting)
• If you have a fever
• If you have pain that does not get any better, and it has been one full day (or longer) since your surgery
• If your swelling is still getting worse, and it has been two days (or longer) since your surgery

Dr. Kurtzman will tell you exactly what to do.

Easing the pain
Stopping the bleeding
Keeping the swelling down
Relieving a sore jaw

At our Glen Mills office, Dr Kurtzman will use freezing (or local anesthetic) to numb the area of your mouth that will be treated.

The length of time your mouth stays numb will depend on the type of freezing (or anesthetic), and on how much is necessary for your individual needs. When your mouth is numb, be careful not to bite your cheek, lip or tongue. The numbness should go away within a few hours.

If you are having the type of freezing that puts you to sleep (called general anesthetic), we will give you other directions that you must follow before and after your surgery.

Some pain is normal after the numbness wears off. You will have the most pain in the first 24 to 48 hours after your surgery. Some soreness or discomfort at the site of the surgery may last for three to five days. The amount of discomfort depends on the kind of surgery you have, how healthy you are in general and how active you are. If you are up and about, you may feel more discomfort. It’s best to rest. Dr Kurtzman may prescribe painkillers to dull the pain. This type of medicine is called an analgesic. He or she may also prescribe medicine to help prevent infection. This is called an antibiotic.

What to do

• Let us know about any other prescription medicines you are taking.
• Follow the advice of your dentist or oral surgeon and your pharmacist when taking medicines.
• Call the office if the pain does not get any better within 24 hours.

What not to do

• Do not take more medicine than advised.
• Do not drink alcohol when taking painkillers.
• Do not drive or use machines if you are taking narcotic painkillers. Your dentist, oral surgeon or pharmacist will tell you if your pain medicine is a narcotic.

Put a gauze pad to cut down on the amount of bleeding while the blood clots. This gauze pad should be left in place for an hour after leaving your dentist’s or oral surgeon’s office. Press firmly on the pad with your teeth, but do not chew on it.

You will probably bleed for the first one to two hours after surgery. The area may continue to ooze for up to 24 hours. Do not be alarmed if it looks like you are bleeding a lot. Blood and saliva mix together in your mouth and make it look like you are bleeding more than you really are. After four hours, if you cannot control the bleeding by pressing firmly on the gauze pad, call our office if the bleeding doesn?t stop .

What to do

• Keep firm and constant pressure on the wound by putting a gauze pad over the area, and by closing your teeth firmly on the pad. Leave the pad in place for an hour, no matter how soggy it becomes.
• If you are still bleeding after one hour, put a new gauze pad on the area.
• Put firm and constant pressure on the area for another hour.
• Rest and keep your head raised. Rest slows down the flow (or circulation) of blood, which helps stop the bleeding and helps you heal faster.
• Brush and floss your teeth as usual, but avoid the wound and use only a little bit of water.
• Call us if you are still bleeding a lot, and it has been four hours (or longer) since your surgery.
• A full day after surgery, rinse your mouth gently with warm water. Your dentist or oral surgeon may suggest that you add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a cup of warm water each time you rinse. Rinse four or five times a day, for three to four days.

What not to do

• Do not rinse your mouth within the first 24 hours, even if the bleeding and oozing leave a bad taste in your mouth.
• Do not chew on the gauze pad or suck on the wound.
• Do not strain yourself for two full days after your surgery.
• Do not drive or use machines if you are taking narcotic painkillers.
• Avoid hot liquids like coffee and tea. If you eat soup, let it cool first. Hot liquids increase the flow (or circulation) of blood, and your mouth can start to bleed again.
• Avoid alcohol and tobacco for the first two weeks after surgery. They make it harder for the blood to clot, easier for an infection to start, and they delay healing.

Your face may swell in the first 24 hours after oral surgery. The swelling may last for five to seven days. Once the swelling starts to go down, your face may bruise. The bruising could last for up to 10 days after your surgery.

What to do

• On the first day after surgery, put a cold compress on the swollen area. To make a cold compress, wrap ice cubes in a towel, or use a bag of frozen vegetables such as peas. Keep the cold compress there for 10 minutes. Take it off for 10 minutes, then put it back on for another 10 minutes.
• Repeat this procedure over and over again for the first 24 hours after surgery.
• On the second day after surgery, put something warm on the swollen area, like a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel, or a heating pad wrapped in a towel. The warmth will increase blood flow (or circulation) and decrease swelling. Do not use anything hot enough to burn your skin.
• Call your dentist or oral surgeon if the swelling keeps getting worse 48 hours after surgery, or if the swelling does not go down within seven days after surgery.
• Do not apply heat to the swollen area in the first 24 hours after surgery as it will only make the swelling worse.

After surgery, your jaw muscles may be sore and it may be hard to open your mouth for up to seven to 10 days. Your jaw muscles may have become stiff and sore from holding your mouth open during surgery.

What to do

• If your jaw muscles are not too sore, massage them gently with a warm, moist facecloth.
• Eat foods that are easy to chew such as eggs, pasta and bananas. Have drinks like milk shakes, milk and juices.
• Call your dentist or oral surgeon if, after 7 to 10 days, your jaw muscles are still tender or if your mouth is still hard to open.

What not to do

• Do not force your mouth open.
• Do not chew gum or eat hard or chewy foods.
• Do not have drinks like coffee and tea.