Possible Nerve Damage After Bone Graft Surgery
Quote:
> This brings up a good question..
> How do we know if we have a quality periodontist?
> Is there a board that regulates or keeps track of them? I'm about to
> have 4 quadrant surgery and a couple of simple things he and his staff
> missed,has me questioning his ability. He's the only one my insurance
> covers in my immediate area. Should I get a second opinion?
> Thanks for any feed back.
> ODAT
Any dentist successfully completing a course of study approved by the
American Academy of Periodontology
http://www.***.com/
...can call themselves a periodontist. Such a dentist is referred to as
"board eligible". The specialty academies give examinations, and
board-eligible candidates who successfully complete the examinations are
"board certified". It is a nice credential to have, but it doesn't
guarantee that the specialists are better or more ethical. Enforcement
of standards is (as it usually is in the professions) in the breach;
that is, enforcement steps in when something goes wrong. I'm not aware
that there is any re-certification as such, but there likely are
continuing education requirements.
Generally well-respected specialists will have academic and hospital
affiliations with well-respected institutions. Even so, the best way to
know that a periodontist is good IMO is that you know of several people
who have been well-treated over a long period of time.
You should always get a second opinion if you are questioning your
dentist. If you are in a rural area with few periodontists around then
the fact that there is only one participating periodontist may be
understandable; if there are many periodontists around and he's the only
participant, you would have to start thinking that maybe the fees are so
low that only a new periodontist (not saying there's anything wrong with
that) or someone who cannot get patients any other way (the general
dentists know about him and try not to refer their patients there) would
sign on with this insurance plan.
Steve
Quote:
>>>Hello Folks,
>>>Almost a year ago I have had a bone graft surgery, unfortunately it has
>>>failed and my dentist had to clean it up and remove the synthetic
>>>materials he used. I needed this surgery for the implants that needed
>>>to be placed in my lower left area of my mouth.
>>>My dentist recommended to try second time and I went through another
>>>bone graft surgery on March 20th. That has also failed and he had to
>>>remove the synthetic materiel out on April 16th. Since March 20th, I
>>>had some significant pain on left side of my head and some numbness on
>>>my left half of the libs. Occasionaly horizontal sharp pain from my
>>>left ear and vertical sharp pain from the left side of the top of my
>>>head. In the last couple of week, this has reached to unbearable
>>>levels.
>>>I am suspecting a nerve damage after my last bone graft surgery. I was
>>>wondering whether anyone has a similar experience and make a
>>>recommendation about how should I go about getting potential treatment.
>>>I live in Seattle area and I'm wondering what would be the best course
>>>of action for me to understand whether I have such a nerve damage or
>>>not. For instance is there any test I could take to clarify this.
>>>I really appreaciate any help or recommendation.
>>>Thanks
>>>Stella
>> While numbness of the lip can be a result of damage to the inferior
>>alveolar nerve, pain near your ear and the top of your head is not; it
>>is more likely to be due to muscle spasm. Perhaps your mouth was open a
>>long time during the surgery and this helped to set it off. In any
>>case, a good dentist should be able to evaluate this for you and make an
>>appropriate referral.
>> Obviously if you have had two artificial bone grafts fail, something
>>else should be considered if you are to do this again. Perhaps a
>>referral to anothe oral/maxillo{*filter*} surgeon is in order.
>>Good luck,
>>Steve
--
Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS
http://www.***.com/
Brooklyn, NY
718-258-5001
