Treatments / Oral & maxillofacial surgery
Oral Surgery: Minor Surgical Procedures
The range of surgical work carried out at the clinic under local anaesthetic: complex and surgical extractions, removal of cysts from the jaws, biopsy of oral lesions, drainage of abscesses, tongue-tie release, alveoloplasty and preparation of the ridge before dentures. These are carried out by an oral surgeon; at STHIRA that is Dr Bhargav Kuchu, MDS Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Surgery that needs an operating theatre is done in hospital, not at the clinic.
Who this is for
- Teeth that cannot be removed simply
- A cyst, swelling or lesion in the jaw or mouth
- Tongue-tie affecting feeding or speech
- Preparation before dentures or implants
What actually happens
- Assessment, imaging where needed, and a clear explanation of what is being done
- The procedure under local anaesthetic
- Aftercare instructions in writing, and a review
What each procedure is
Cyst removal: a cyst is a fluid-filled sac that can grow slowly in the jaw, often around a buried tooth or the root of a tooth whose nerve has died. It is removed before it weakens more of the bone, and the lining is usually sent to a laboratory to confirm what it was. Biopsy: a small piece of a patch, ulcer or lump is taken under local anaesthetic and sent to a laboratory, often the only way to know for certain what it is.
Frenectomy, or tongue-tie release: the frenum is the small fold of tissue under the tongue or inside the lip, and when it is short or tight it can hold the tongue back or pull on the gum, so it is released or reshaped. Alveoloplasty: the bony ridge left after teeth are lost is smoothed and reshaped so a denture can sit comfortably without sore spots.
Abscess drainage: an abscess is a pocket of pus from an infection, usually from a tooth or the gum. Draining it relieves the pressure and pain, and the cause is then treated. A swelling that spreads towards the eye or into the neck, or makes it hard to swallow, breathe or open your mouth, or comes with a high fever, is an emergency. Go to a hospital emergency department, and call 108 if breathing is difficult. Our guide on when an abscess swelling needs a hospital sets out the signs.
Before your appointment
Bring a list of every medicine you take, or the strips themselves, and any recent X-rays or reports. If you take a blood thinner, do not stop it on your own. Tell us, and any change is decided with the doctor who prescribed it, because stopping some of these medicines carries its own risk. Mention diabetes, heart conditions and pregnancy too.
Eat a normal meal beforehand unless you have been told otherwise. Local anaesthetic does not need an empty stomach.
The first 24 hours
Bite firmly on the gauze for as long as you are told, usually around half an hour. Some oozing and pink saliva that day is normal. If it is still bleeding, bite on a fresh folded piece of gauze for another half hour. If that does not stop it, call us, and if the clinic is closed or the bleeding is heavy, go to a hospital emergency department.
The numbness lasts a few hours. Until it wears off, avoid hot drinks and chewing, so you do not burn or bite your lip, cheek or tongue. Take the pain relief you were advised before the numbness fades, rather than waiting for the pain to build.
A cold pack wrapped in cloth, held on the cheek on and off, helps with swelling on the first day, and an extra pillow that night keeps your head raised. For the first day, do not smoke, rinse hard, spit forcefully or drink through a straw, so the clot is not disturbed. After a biopsy, the result takes some days to come back; ask when to expect it and how you will be told.
If you have been told a tooth needs a surgical extraction, what a surgical extraction involves covers the appointment itself and the first few days after it.
Minor oral surgery is done at the clinic under local anaesthetic, so you come in and go home the same day. Our Rai Durg clinic near Gachibowli is where that happens.
Questions people ask
Is oral surgery done under general anaesthetic?
Not the procedures on this page. They are done at the clinic under local anaesthetic, and you go home the same day. Surgery that needs an operating theatre, such as fixing a fractured jaw or corrective jaw surgery, is done in hospital, where Dr Kuchu works as a visiting consultant maxillofacial surgeon.
Is an oral surgeon the same as a maxillofacial surgeon?
Usually, yes. In India the qualification is an MDS in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, which covers minor oral surgery like the procedures on this page as well as surgery of the jaws and face. Dr Bhargav Kuchu holds that MDS and does this work at the clinic.
Does every lump or patch in the mouth need a biopsy?
No. Many are harmless and are watched or treated first. A biopsy is suggested when something has not healed in about three weeks, looks unusual, or needs a definite answer.
Will I need stitches?
Often, yes. Some dissolve on their own over a week or two, others are removed at the review visit, and you will be told which kind you have.
Can I go back to work the next day?
Often, yes, after a minor procedure, though it depends on what was done and on the kind of work you do. Ask before the day so you can plan the time off you actually need.
Related treatments
Wisdom Tooth Removal
Impacted and surgical extractions, carried out by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon.
Oral Cancer Screening & Consultation
Screening, consultation, biopsy of oral lesions and post-surgical follow-up care.
Dental Implants
A titanium root and a fitted crown, replacing a tooth without touching its neighbours.