Defects of the facial bones, especially the jaws, have a variety of causes, such as eradication of pathologic conditions, trauma, infections, and congenital deformities. The size of the defects that are commonly reconstructed in the oral-maxillofacial region varies considerably, from…
A cleft is a congenital abnormal space or gap in the upper lip, alveolus, or palate. The colloquial term for this condition is harelip . The use of this term should be discouraged because it carries demeaning connotations. The more…
Soft Tissue Injuries The types of soft tissue injuries the dentist may see in practice vary considerably. However, it is fair to assume that given the current availability of other health care providers, the dentist will probably not be involved…
The specific surgical techniques for the treatment of oral pathologic lesions can be as varied as those for the surgical management of any other entity. Each clinician surgically treats patients using techniques that are based on previous training, biases, experience,…
Examination and Diagnostic Methods Lesions of the oral cavity and perioral areas must be identified and accurately diagnosed so that appropriate therapy can eliminate them. When abnormal tissue growth is discovered, several important and orderly steps should be undertaken to…
Dental Management of Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy to the Head and Neck Radiotherapy (i.e., radiation therapy and x-ray treatment) is a common modality for treating malignancies of the head and neck. Approximately 30,000 cases of head and neck cancer occur each…
Background Approximately 11%–50% of all facial fractures and 30%–40%% of all mandibular fractures (MFs) are fractures of the mandibular condyle. Most are not caused by direct trauma, but follow indirect forces transmitted to the condyle from a blow elsewhere, usually…