Sleep apnea Snoring (also called sleep apnea) is abnormal breathing that can be a sign of an abnormality (usually benign) near the back of your throat when tissues and muscles become weakened or collapsed. In some people, chronic apnea can cause irregular heartbeats and disrupted sleeping. Sleep apnea

Many people think of facial reconstruction only being performed on individuals involved in traumatic accidents or fires. Although these individuals benefit significantly from facial reconstruction, there are other conditions that may necessitate such a procedure, including tumor removal, or correcting

Because the face is such a visible feature on the human body, cuts and lacerations can have a lasting impact if not treated properly. Maxillofacial surgery is sometimes used to repair broken bones in the face. Fractured jaws are a popular candidate for maxillofacial surgery. In most cases, surgery to

When restoration procedures such as root canal therapy, crowns or fillings are not enough to save a tooth, it may need to be pulled, or extracted. Tooth extraction procedures today are vastly less painful than ever before, thanks to powerful anesthetics and sedatives. In many cases, a patient who has

Before development of dental implants, dentures were the only alternative to replacing a missing tooth or teeth. Implants are synthetic structures that are placed in the area of the tooth normally occupied by the root. Implants are anchored to the jawbone or metal framework on the bone and act as a foundation

Jaw surgery, which is also called orthognathic surgery, is intended to correct unequal jaw growth. In some instances, people who have poorly aligned teeth and an improper bite may be treated by orthodontic methods (braces or other appliances). During corrective jaw surgery, the individual’s upper and/or

Bone grafts Some people who need dental implants face a particular challenge if the jawbone near the implant site has deteriorated, or atrophied. Bone grafts—usually taken from inside the mouth, chin, jaw, and in extreme cases, the hip or knee—can now be used to restore the affected area of the implant