Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery & Hospital Dentistry

The Department of Oral-Maxillofacial Surgery at Indiana University School of Dentistry offers several facial cosmetic treatments and procedures. These procedures are undertaken in the out-patient clinics at University Hospital by qualified residents and faculty staff. Facial peels and skin enhancement procedures including glycolic acid peels, fillers and Botox injections to address skin aging can be carried out on a first-come basis during our Cosmetic Clinics. Further, appropriate surgical procedures performed under local anesthetic and sedation are offered at a reduced fee for rejuvenation of foreheads, eyelids and sagging facial tissues. A pre-screening appointment with faculty is offered for any rejuvenation procedures requiring surgery and sedation.

Every day, people around you are getting dental implants to replace missing teeth. Dental implants are surgically placed into your jawbone. They are a long-term solution to missing teeth (edentulism) and can be very similar to your natural teeth. Also, unlike fixed bridges or removable dentures, dental implants will not likely affect neighboring healthy teeth or lead to bone loss in the jaw. If properly cared for, dental implants can last a lifetime.

Dental implant surgery is, of course, surgery - and is best performed by a trained surgeon. Your oral and maxillofacial surgeon (OMS) has both the specialized education and training in the complexities of the bone, soft-tissue and nerves involved to ensure that you get the best possible results.

The IU-OMFS team offers state-of-the-art dental implant treatments, utilizing the most modern technology and modalities of treatment available. Treatments offered range from replacing teeth in the esthetic (anterior) area, bone grafts, partial and full arch (completely edentulous) rehabilitations. Immediate placement and loading, zygomatic implants, guided surgery and bone graft solutions are part of our daily work routine. Our team is also part of a team of experts globally recognized, like the International Team for Implantology and the ZAGA - Zygomatic implants network.

The IUSD Dental Sleep Medicine service specializes in providing comprehensive care to patients with sleep-related breathing disorders, including snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. We do so through close collaboration with sleep physicians, who are responsible for diagnosing these conditions, guaranteeing a seamlessly integrated approach to your healthcare.

Our specific area of expertise lies in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and snoring, utilizing oral appliance therapy. This treatment is particularly beneficial for patients who may not be suitable candidates for CPAP, encounter difficulties in tolerating CPAP or simply prefer oral appliance therapy. We maintain a rigorous level of coordination with sleep physicians to ensure our patients receive thorough and effective solutions for their sleep-related concerns.

The IUSD Hospital Dentistry service specializes in dental care for patients at the intersection of medicine and dentistry, by providing a collaborative approach to oral health. For individuals with complex medical needs: chronic immunosuppression, bleeding disorders, congenital or acquired syndromes, undergoing cancer therapy, or requiring clearance/optimization prior to cardiac surgery, solid organ or bone marrow transplantation, hospital dentistry provides timely evaluation and oral care, all while working with medical teams to ensure an inclusive healthcare approach to dentistry.

IUSD Hospital Dentistry operates as a referral-based outpatient clinic for adult patients across the lifespan (ages > 16 years) for whom dentistry in a traditional outpatient setting may not be possible or sufficient. Additionally, our providers manage all general dentistry inpatient consultation requests for the University Hospital and Simon Cancer Center care teams.

Corrective jaw surgery - also called orthognathic surgery - is performed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon (OMS) to correct a wide range of minor and major skeletal and dental irregularities, including the misalignment of jaws and teeth. Surgery can improve breathing, chewing and speaking. While the patient’s appearance may be dramatically enhanced as a result of the surgery, orthognathic surgery is performed to correct functional problems.

The following are some of the conditions that may indicate the need for corrective jaw surgery:

• Difficulty chewing or biting food
• Difficulty swallowing
• Chronic jaw or jaw joint (TMJ) pain
• Excessive wear of the teeth
• Open bite (space between the upper and lower teeth when the mouth is closed)
• Unbalanced facial appearance from the front or side
• Facial injury
• Congenital craniofacial anomalies seen at birth
• Receding lower jaw and chin
• Protruding jaw
• Inability to make the lips meet without straining
• Chronic mouth breathing
• Obstructive sleep apnea

At IU-OMFS, orthognathic surgery is routinely performed by experienced surgeons. Utilizing the latest technology such as 3D imaging, virtual surgical planning, and custom-made guides and bone plates, our team is able to address complex deformities with accuracy, achieving predictably good results.

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are uniquely trained and qualified to perform multiple reconstructive procedures of the oro-facial region. Training, education and procedural exposure to multiple jaw, facial skeletal and associated soft tissue defects, whether from trauma or ablative (surgical pathology) causes, present during the entire course of residency and thereafter in practice. At Indiana University, this spectrum of training begins in the first few months and carries through four years later at graduation from residency. Many of the attending faculty in the department have post-residency training and experience in this type of surgery which results in a multi-faceted and robust spectrum of skills and procedures available to patients in need of reconstruction.

From replacement, reconstruction or revision of complex soft tissue defects, jaw and skeletal bone problems to restoration with dental implants, oral and maxillofacial surgeons at Indiana University have access to the latest technology in procedural planning to surgical wherewithal, to complete many of these complex procedures using an array of options including native, alloplastic or bioengineered tissues. It is the aim of our department to restore the patient to health in every sense of that meaning and goal.

The Indiana University School of Dentistry Special Care Clinic delivers compassionate general dentistry services and provides education for oral health personnel in the management of individuals (aged 16 years and older across their lifespan) with physical and/or developmental disabilities, as well as the treatment of older adult patients particularly those with complex medical conditions such as cognitive disorders like dementia. We treat patients based on their needs either in the office in our Hospital Dentistry/Special Care dental clinic or in an operating room setting under general anesthesia at Indiana University Health care facilities.

Examples of our scope of care include treating patients with the following:

• Developmental and/or intellectual disabilities (autism spectrum disorders, cerebral palsy, genetically based conditions - Down syndrome, etc.)
• Physical disability (vision or hearing impairment, contractures, mobility limitations, etc.)
• Acquired cognitive or physical disabilities (dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, etc.)

Dental Services:

• Examination and radiographs
• Dental hygiene (regular cleanings, deep cleanings)
• Restorative dentistry
• Extractions

Special Accommodations Available for Patients:

• Currently, the only special accommodation offered by the service is comprehensive dental care under general anesthesia in an operating room setting.

The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery department undertakes both the non-surgical and surgical management of patients with temporomandibular joint, TMJ (jaw joint) disorders.  We benefit significantly from having the expertise of a board-certified orofacial pain specialist to assist in the conservative management of these patients.  From the surgical perspective, the procedures on offer range from minimally invasive jaw joint washout procedures (arthrocentesis and arthroscopy) to open joint procedures, including jaw joint replacement surgery of the custom and stock variety. Patients with complex, longstanding, intractable symptoms are frequently managed in a multidisciplinary clinic, the TMJ Institute which is based at the IU School of Dentistry. These patients are assessed by a range of different specialists, at the same time in the same place in order to arrive at a consensual, collaborative diagnosis and management plan.

Here is the link:

https://dentistry.iu.edu/professionals/tmj/index.html