What to Expect When Your Child Needs Oral Surgery
As a parent, you never want to see your child have to go through oral and maxillofacial surgery in Victorville, CA. However, these types of procedures happen more than you might realize. No matter what type of oral surgery your child needs, Dr. Bell will take good care of them.
Common Pediatric Oral Surgeries
We frequently see children who have knocked out a tooth or sustained injuries to the mouth in some type of accident. Although Dr. Bell always attempts to preserve natural teeth, extraction is sometimes necessary. If he needs to pull a baby tooth, he may put in a space maintainer to allow the permanent tooth to grow later.
Pre-teens and teens may need one or more teeth extracted before starting orthodontic treatment, while older teens may need wisdom teeth pulled. Other standard oral surgery procedures in children include:
- Frenectomy: Removes excess soft tissue in the tongue, lips, or gums to ensure the child can eat and speak properly. Also known as tongue tie surgery, a frenectomy prevents teeth’ top and bottom rows from becoming misaligned.
- Pulpotomy: A pediatric root canal is necessary when the pulp of one or more of a child’s teeth becomes infected and causes significant discomfort.
Removal of oral tumors, repairing a cleft palate, and reconstructive surgery are other common surgical procedures for kids, but this is not a complete list.
Helping Your Child Recover at Home
Your son or daughter should consume a soft foods diet for at least a few days after oral surgery. Non-prescription pain relievers and/or ice packs are usually enough to alleviate discomfort. If your child’s pain doesn’t seem to be going away after oral and maxillofacial surgery in Victorville, CA, please let us know as soon as possible.
