Oral Surgery

How to React After Breaking or Losing an Adult Tooth

Many people find the idea of losing adult teeth frightening, especially if facial trauma is involved. While dentists can treat many tooth injuries, more severe tooth and mouth injuries require procedures best performed by oral and maxillofacial surgeons, such as complex extractions, tooth replacement, and sometimes even bone grafting procedures. In fact, oral surgeons are experts in treating facial injuries of all kinds, and many oral surgeons remain on call at hospitals to treat emergency facial trauma patients.

All of us at Greater Charlotte Oral & Facial Surgery understand how scary it can be to lose or break a permanent tooth. To help guide you through this experience, we’ve listed some instructions below to minimize discomfort and improve the chances of saving your natural tooth. If your natural tooth cannot be saved, we offer a wide variety of dental implant options to restore your oral function and smile.

Broken Teeth: If you break a tooth, contact your oral surgeon or dentist right away. Before making your way to the office, gently rinse your mouth with water, then bite on gauze or a damp tea bag to stop any bleeding. Use an ice pack to minimize pain and swelling. You can also control pain with ibuprofen or Advil.

While accidents or biting on hard objects can cause tooth damage, often internal problems, like cavities, contribute to a tooth breaking. Visiting a dental professional early ensures that your condition will be treated properly, whether you need a tooth repaired or restored with dental implants.

Knocked-Out Teeth: Following these instructions and bringing your tooth to an oral surgeon within 30 minutes will give you the best chance at restoration.

Only handle the chewing edge of the tooth and do not touch the root. The tissues attached to the tooth can be important for replacement, so do not wipe off or touch any tissue attached to the tooth. Submerge the tooth in some whole milk or saliva to keep it preserved until you reach the office. Do NOT try to clean the tooth using any sort of alcohol or hydrogen peroxide.

Bite down on gauze to slow any bleeding and replace the gauze every 10-15 minutes until it comes out clean and the bleeding stops.

Oral surgeons are extensively trained in tooth replacement. If your natural tooth cannot be saved, we offer a multitude of permanent solutions like dental implants. Your oral surgeon will also examine surrounding facial and muscle tissues to ensure your face’s aesthetics and functionality remain.

Hopefully, you’ll never need to use these instructions, but it’s always best to be prepared. Contact our office right away if you have suffered a facial trauma or lost a tooth. We will do our best to schedule your appointment quickly—for most facial injuries, we will fit you in the day you call. Our surgeon specializes in tooth replacement through the placement of dental implants, and we are confident that we will find the right treatment to fit your needs.

Toy Donations Make a Lasting Impression on Smiles this Holiday Season

Dr. Marashi of Greater Charlotte Oral & Facial Surgery donate free procedures to local children in need

Charlotte, NC (November 16, 2015) –We all know the unmistakable chiming sound of that holiday-giving bell and the various charitable organizations that paint sidewalks and the front of nearly every grocery store. People of all ages understand the need to give back to communities and do so by donating coats, books, toys, quilts, and coins. This year, Greater Charlotte Oral & Facial Surgery has teamed up with The Salvation Army’s Magical Toy Drive to collect new, unwrapped toys for the underprivileged children of Greater Charlotte, and this year they’ve added a cheerful twist.

Dr. Amir Marashi, MD, DDS has invited each of their referring doctors, along with the Greater Charlotte community, to join in spreading the holiday cheer by donating new, unwrapped toys during this holiday season. However, the giving does not end there. Each referring doctor that donates a new toy can nominate one of their pediatric patients into a drawing for a complimentary oral and maxillofacial surgery service. Dr. Marashi will provide one procedure for one of the nominated children in need.

“We love having the opportunity to give back to our community and to use the holiday season to make an even larger impact on these kids’ lives’,” said Dr. Marashi. “This is going to be such a rewarding experience for all parties. We are excited to brighten up our community – one smile at a time.”

With about 810,000 residents living within the Charlotte city limits, and the median income for a family being $59,452, there is an astounding percentage of families that fall below the poverty line. In addition, 13.8 percent that are in poverty are under the age of 18. The need for affordable oral surgical care is apparent, and there is mounting evidence that oral health complications not only reflect general health conditions but can even initiate them. Taking care of oral health is a necessity at all ages and is even more essential as a child.

The Holiday Toy Drive will start accepting new, unwrapped toys on November 16, 2015, until December 11, 2015. The toys will be accepted at both Greater Charlotte Oral & Facial Surgery locations. The Pineville office is located at 10035 Park Cedar Drive, Suite 300, Charlotte, NC 28210. The Steel Creek office is located at 10935 Winds Crossing Drive, Suite 400, Charlotte, NC 28273. The two recipients will be selected on December 18, 2015.

To learn more about Greater Charlotte Oral & Facial Surgery’s Holiday Toy Drive, visit: https://greatercharlotteoralsurgery.com/holiday-toy-drive/.

About Greater Charlotte Oral & Facial Surgery:
Greater Charlotte Oral & Facial Surgery is an American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities–accredited facility, assuring patients receive the highest level of care with the latest techniques and technology. Dr. Amir Marashi, MD, DDS is a trained oral and maxillofacial surgeon and medical doctor with years of experience. When choosing an oral surgeon in the Greater Charlotte area, all patients want to find a surgical team that they feel comfortable with and that they trust to provide exceptional care. Dr. Amir Marashi and his highly skilled surgical and office staff are a competent, caring oral surgery team who understand the uncertainty, worry, and stress that any oral surgery procedure can cause. Dr. Marashi offers the full scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery options including dental implants, wisdom teeth extractions, corrective jaw surgery and reconstruction, and much more. They also provide a wide variety of facial cosmetic procedures including facelifts, liposuction, Botox^® injections, and other cosmetic facial restoration treatments. With convenient office locations in Pineville and Steele Creek, any oral and maxillofacial surgery needs can be met by Greater Charlotte Oral Surgery.

21 Questions to Ask Your Oral Surgeon

A message from Dr. Marashi:

“Hello, this is Dr. Amir Marashi, and I want to congratulate you for taking the initiative to review this free consumer guide. You see, I know that any time someone needs work done on their mouth, teeth, or gums, it can be a scary experience.

There are many choices available to you as a consumer, and it can be incredibly difficult to know which one to choose or even how to distinguish one choice from another!

Well, because I want each and every one of my patients to feel absolutely comfortable when they come to my office, I’ve created a list of the 21 questions everyone should ask their oral surgeon before even setting foot in their office.

Why do you need to ask these questions? Because you need to have a way of distinguishing between those doctors that are going to only create more pain and those that can actually take it all away!

So, before you do anything else take a few minutes right now to read through these 21 questions. We’d love it if you’d give us a chance to show you just how simple an oral surgery procedure in our office is, but even if you don’t come to us, I hope this helps you feel good about the choice you ultimately make.”

Here are the 21 questions:

1. First and foremost, are they, in fact, oral and maxillofacial surgeons?

Many dentists advertise that they do oral surgery. They do not have nearly the training or experience that an oral surgeon has. For example, I have seven more years of training beyond the dental school and all I do is surgery.

2. How much experience do they have, and are they board certified in oral and maxillofacial surgery?

The American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery has established criteria for competence and knowledge that determine a sufficient and acceptable performance for safe practice of the specialty and examines qualified candidates.

Those individuals who demonstrate achievement of the requisite training, experience, and knowledge are granted Diplomate certificates.

3. Are they also board certified in dental anesthesiology?

American Board of Dental Anesthesiology grants Diplomate status to surgeons with training and expertise in administration of general anesthesia in a safe and effective manner.

4. Do they keep abreast of the new research with the regular continuing medical education?

In the fast-paced and ever-changing world of medicine and surgery, it is critical for the physician to be committed to lifelong learning through regular continuing medical education.

5. Are they on staff at the hospital, and are they in good standing?

This cannot be stressed enough. The majority of surgeries an oral surgeon does can be safely done in an outpatient office setting. However, it is crucial that the surgeon has hospital privileges in case complications arise and there is a need for hospitalization.

6. Have they ever been the subject of a disciplinary action from a professional board?

This goes without saying. If there are a lot of complaints or disciplinary actions, then that may be cause for concern.

7. Do they keep up with the Advanced Cardiac Life Support re-certification?

The guidelines for resuscitation are constantly being evaluated and changed. It is very important to have regular certification and to keep up with the advances.

8. Is the oral surgeon also a medical doctor?

There are a lot of good qualified oral surgeons that are single degree or just DDS. However, I think it just makes sense that having also gone to medical school will enable the oral surgeon to be well-rounded and able to take better care of the patients with more complicated medical problems.

9. Does the office practice strict infection control?

Any outpatient medical or surgical facility should be like a small version of a hospital. The same infection control guidelines should be followed.

10. What is their infection rate?

Simply ask if the office is actively keeping track of their post-operative infections.

If they are not tracking this data, there is no way they can even have an educated answer. There is not a single surgeon that does not have any infection. However, strictly adhering to infection control principles and practicing sterile techniques should minimize the number of infections.

11. What is the surgeon’s rate of nerve injury?

The rate of nerve injury following removal of third molars ranges from 1.5 to 8.4%. That means out of every hundred cases, there may be up to 8 patients that have numbness of the tongue, lip, and chin post-operatively. I believe that through careful, meticulous surgery, this number can be kept very close to zero.

Again, ask if the office is actively tracking the number of post-operative neurological impairment.

12. Do they reuse some disposable items such as IV bags and needles?

You would think that this is not happening anywhere in the USA. There was a case right here in Charlotte, NC. You don’t need a medical degree to figure out that the IV bags, tubing, and needles that are supposed to be disposable should not be shared with other patients to save a buck or two.

13. Is the doctor involved in all the aspects of the care?

In some offices, the consultation means, watching a video. Or the staff will do most of the interaction and explaining. I firmly believe that the doctor (who is the most informed in the office) should be the one that is involved in every aspect of the care, particularly the consultation.

14. Will you have the same surgeon from the consultation to surgery and post-operative period?

In many large practices, there are several oral surgeons and one may have different doctors from consultation to actual surgery. I know because I worked in those type practices.

15. Does the doctor do only one surgery at the time, or are there multiple sedated patients, usually watched by a dental assistant while the doctor goes from room to room?

This is a big pet peeve of mine. I strongly believe that each patient deserves the undivided attention of the surgeon during the whole process. That means that the doctor is present from the beginning to the end of the procedure. Not walking in when the patient is asleep and rushing to another sedated patient.

16. Will the doctor personally call every patient after each surgery?

This I also believe is very important. It establishes good communication with the patient. A lot of problems that patients may have usually occur early on in the post-operative course. By personally calling, the doctor can assess the patient’s post-operative course and take care of any problems that may be present.

17. Will the surgeon give you his or her cell phone number, or do you have to go through an answering service to get in touch?

In today’s multi-doctor practices, it is near impossible to have direct access to your surgeon. Often one has to go through answering services, nurses, and physician assistants. Having the doctor’s cell number gives the patient the comfort and confidence that they have support in their post-operative course.

18. Can the surgeon’s staff recommend him, and have they had or will they have surgery in that office?

Again, it goes without saying that the best judge of a surgeon is the people who see his or her work every day. For all of the staff to have confidence in the surgeon is a testimonial to his or her abilities, and the opposite is a real red flag.

19. Are they utilizing the latest technology, or are they still practicing the way they were trained decades ago?

Patients often benefit from the utilization of state-of-the-art equipment and technologies that have shown to improve the surgical outcomes.

20. How do they manage their complications?

Ask if there is a charge for follow up appointments if a complication arises. If there is a problem—for example, nausea—that is not resolved by medication, will the patient be sent to the ER or can they can come in the office for prompt personal care?

21. Do they have systems in place to continuously check the resuscitation equipment and medications?

Complications are not scheduled! Being prepared is vital. Following the hospital model, it is very important to regularly check to make sure all of the equipment is functional and all the medication that is needed during resuscitation is present and not expired.

We sincerely hope this information has been beneficial to you as you seek out relevant information to help you make a decision about your oral surgery care. Remember, you are in charge of your health and you should only go where you feel most comfortable so don’t be shy to ask these questions.

In most cases, a quality oral surgeon will have no problem answering each of these questions and if anything, it lets them know that you’re an educated consumer and that you expect nothing but the best in quality of service and care.

Again, if you have any other questions that haven’t been answered in this consumer guide please don’t hesitate to contact our office directly at (704) 542-9600.

We’re here to help and to make your oral surgery experience a pleasurable one!

One Local Resident to Receive a Second Chance to Smile

Dr. Marashi of Greater Charlotte Oral & Facial Surgery will provide a new set of dental implants to a deserving individual of greater Charlotte

Charlotte, NC (January 15, 2016) – Dr. Amir Marashi, MD, DDS of Greater Charlotte Oral & Facial Surgery are offering a resident of the greater Charlotte area an opportunity to get back their smile. One deserving recipient will receive the full-arch restoration method to repair their teeth with dental implants to create a new set of fully functional, natural-looking teeth, at no cost.

“The struggle that some individuals in our community have been faced with throughout their lives is astonishing, and extremely unfortunate,” said Dr. Marashi. “We want to provide hope to our community and help our members overcome their daily battles due to their poor oral health. We feel blessed to be able to provide such an amazing opportunity and are excited to change someone’s life, starting with something as simple, yet vital, as a smile.”

Dr. Marashi is partnering with Dr. R. Bruce Miller of Charlotte Prosthodontics, to provide the full-arch restoration to the recipient. This is a revolutionary solution for patients who are missing teeth, are in the process of losing teeth, or have been told they will need dentures. The procedure will allow the recipient to experience the look, feel, and strength of natural teeth, while also enjoying their favorite foods again. This is a secure and lasting solution for those who suffer from multiple missing teeth.

Complications such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory infections, and even diabetic complications are just some of the consequences that may result from poor oral health. Many dental implant candidates have experienced tragic physical or emotional struggles due to their oral health condition and would be deserving of this gift. The decision to pick one candidate to receive this complimentary treatment is sure to be difficult.

In addition to restoring oral function, an enhanced self-esteem, and a natural smile, the Second Chance program has a goal to improve the final recipient’s overall quality of life by addressing other specific needs of the patient, such as a physical fitness, nutrition, career counseling, and therapy. Community members interested in becoming a partner in the program should contact Greater Charlotte Oral & Facial Surgery, or visit their donation page, https://greatercharlotteoralsurgery.com/donate/.

Interested individuals are encouraged to visit Greater Charlotte Oral & Facial Surgery’s Second Chance program website (https://greatercharlotteoralsurgery.com/secondchance) to learn more about the program and submit their online application. The application period is extended to residents in the greater Charlotte area and the surrounding areas and runs from January 15, 2015, through February 15, 2015.

About Greater Charlotte Oral & Facial Surgery:

Greater Charlotte Oral & Facial Surgery is an American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities accredited facility, assuring that patients receive the highest level of care with the latest techniques and technology. Dr. Amir Marashi, MD, DDS is a trained oral and maxillofacial surgeon and medical doctor with years of experience. When choosing an oral surgeon in the greater Charlotte area, patients want to find a surgical team they trust and feel comfortable with and know that they will be provided with exceptional care. Dr. Amir Marash and his highly skilled surgical and office staff are a competent, caring oral surgery team who understands the uncertainty, worry, and stress that any oral surgery procedure can cause. Dr. Marashi offers the full scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery options including dental implants, wisdom teeth extractions, corrective jaw surgery, reconstruction, and much more. He also provides a wide variety of facial cosmetic procedures including face lifts, liposuction, Botox injections, and other cosmetic facial restoration treatments. With convenient office locations in Pineville and Steele Creek, any oral and maxillofacial surgery needs can be met by Greater Charlotte Oral Surgery.

What to do if you lose or break a tooth?

What to do if you lose or break a tooth

Losing or breaking a tooth can be frightening, especially if it’s caused by a sports injury. Fast action is needed to ensure the best results. Follow these tips to minimize discomfort and improve the chances of saving your natural tooth.

Broken tooth

Call your oral surgeon or dentist right away
Gently rinse your mouth with water
Bite on gauze or a tea bag to stop any bleeding until you can see your doctor
Use an ice pad to minimize pain and swelling
Take ibuprofen or Advil if needed

Knocked-out tooth

Call your oral surgeon right away
Only handle the chewing edge of the tooth. DO NOT touch the root (not even to wipe it off)
Submerge the tooth in whole milk or saliva until you reach the oral surgeon’s office
Bite on gauze to slow any bleeding and replace every 10 – 15 minutes until bleeding stops

Greater Charlotte Oral & Facial Surgery is here for you for all of life’s oral surgery needs – expected or unexpected. Call us at the location nearest you for direct access to board-certified oral & maxillofacial surgeons.