LAC 48:I.2317. Oral Surgery

A. Removal of Tooth (including Impacted Tooth) (an impacted tooth is under the gum or bone) 1. infection; 2. bleeding; 3. failure of wound to heal; 4. injuries to adjacent teeth and/or hard or soft tissues; 5. paresthesia or numbness of face and/or mouth; 6. fracture of mandible (lower jaw) or maxilla (upper jaw); 7. opening between mouth and sinus or mouth and nose; 8. tooth or fragment in maxillary sinus; 9. incomplete removal of tooth; 10. dry socket; 11. possible injury to tmj (temporomandibular joint dysfunction or jaw joint). B. Repair or Removal of Damaged Teeth 1. infection; 2. bleeding; 3. failure of wound to heal; 4. paresthesia or numbness of face and/or mouth; 5. loss of teeth; 6. loss of bone. C. Removal of Exostosis, Tori, Tuberosities (Excess Bone) 1. infection; 2. bleeding; 3. failure of wound to heal; 4. slough (unanticipated loss of hard and/or soft tissue); 5. paresthesia or numbness of face and/or mouth; 6. opening between mouth and sinus or mouth and nose; 7. injury to adjacent structures. D. Dental Implants 1. infection; 2. bleeding; 3. failure of wound to heal; 4. permanent and disfiguring scarring; 5. premature loss of implant(s) and attachment(s); 6. loss of bone; 7. mobility of implant (failure of implant to attach); 8. paresthesia or numbness of face and/or mouth; 9. mandibular fracture (lower jaw); 10. injury to adjacent teeth; 11. inability to place implant in intended site; 12. injury of maxillary sinus. E. Maxillary and Mandibular Osteotomies (Cutting and Movement of Jawbones) 1. infection; 2. bleeding; 3. failure of wound to heal; 4. permanent and disfiguring scarring; 5. difficulty in mastication (chewing); 6. malocclusion (improper bite); 7. continued muscle pain and headaches; 8. impaired or obstructed airway (difficulty in breathing) which might cause death; 9. undesirable facial appearance; 10. new or continued temporomandibular joint symptoms (tmj); 11. nerve injury; 12. failure of bone to heal; 13. loss of teeth, bone or soft tissue; 14. damage to teeth requiring additional treatment (root canal); 15. relapse or shift of jaw structures; 16. opening between mouth and sinus or mouth and nose. F. Genioplasty (Chin Reconstruction), Sliding Osteotomy (Cutting and Moving the Bone), Bone Graft, Alloplast (Synthetic Implant) 1. infection; 2. bleeding; 3. failure of wound to heal; 4. permanent and disfiguring scarring; 5. undesirable chin contour; 6. failure of bone to heal; 7. paresthesia or numbness of face and/or mouth; 8. resorption of hard and/or soft tissues secondary to alloplast implant (synthetic); 9. injury to dental structures; 10. rejection of implant material; 11. lip incompetence (droop of lip). G. Surgery for Cleft Lip/Palate and Craniofacial Deformities (Repair of Defects from Birth Injury, Prior Surgery, and/or Disease) 1. infection; 2. bleeding; 3. failure of wound to heal; 4. permanent and disfiguring scarring; 5. impaired chewing or swallowing; 6. unstable or inadequate function of dental occlusion (bite); 7. residual speech problems or impairment; 8. unfavorable facial symmetry; 9. airway impairment (difficulty in breathing) which might cause death; 10. nerve injurysensory or motor (feeling and function); 11. loss of grafted or implanted materials; 12. blood supply compromise to tissues, hard and soft, resulting in loss of tissues; 13. failure of bone to heal; 14. failure to correct deformity; 15. opening between mouth and sinus or mouth and nose. H. Removal of Cyst, Benign Tumors or Malignant Tumors from Jaws 1. infection; 2. bleeding; 3. failure of wound to heal; 4. permanent and disfiguring scarring; 5. recurrence of lesion; 6. loss of bone which would result in facial deformity; 7. unanticipated loss of teeth or adjacent vital structures; 8. facial bone fracture; 9. paresthesia or numbness of face and/or mouth; 10. metastasis (spread of cancer if tumor is cancerous). I. Surgical Treatment of Facial Infection Including Drainage 1. infection; 2. bleeding; 3. failure of wound to heal; 4. permanent and disfiguring scarring; 5. loss or damage to teeth and adjacent structures including bone; 6. persistence and/or spread of infection to other parts of body; 7. airway impairment (difficulty in breathing) which might cause death. J. Surgical Removal of Cysts, Benign Tumors and Stones of the Salivary Gland 1. infection; 2. bleeding; 3. failure of wound to heal; 4. permanent and disfiguring scarring; 5. recurrence of original problem; 6. metastasis (spread of cancer if tumor is cancerous); 7. damage or loss of adjacent vital structures (salivary); 8. persistent problem requiring removal of gland. K. Temporomandibular Joint Disease (Surgery and/or Manipulation) 1. infection; 2. bleeding; 3. failure of wound to heal; 4. permanent and disfiguring scarring; 5. failure to relieve pain; 6. inability to chew properly; 7. restriction of jaw movement; 8. locking of jaw joint (open or closed); 9. failure of alloplast (synthetic implant) to function requiring removal; 10. malocclusion (improper bite); 11. motor or sensory nerve damage (function or feeling); 12. damage to ear canal, cartilage, or middle ear; 13. development of arthritis condition. L. Surgical Repair of Mandible (Lower Jaw) Fractures 1. infection; 2. bleeding; 3. failure of wound to heal; 4. permanent and disfiguring scarring; 5. failure of bones to heal properly; 6. malocclusion (improper bite); 7. damage to teeth or loss of teeth; 8. motor or sensory nerve damage (function and feeling). M. Surgical Repair of Maxilla (Upper Jaw) Fractures 1. infection; 2. bleeding; 3. failure of wound to heal; 4. permanent and disfiguring scarring; 5. failure of bones to heal properly; 6. malocclusion (improper bite); 7. opening between mouth and sinus or mouth and nose; 8. loss of bone or teeth; 9. chronic sinusitis or sinus infection; 10. motor or sensory nerve damage (function and feeling); 11. telecanthus (widening of the space between the eyes); 12. abnormal eye movements; 13. abnormal vision; 14. difficulty breathing; 15. overflow of tears; 16. inability to smell. N. Surgical Correction of Soft Tissue Injuries of Face 1. infection; 2. bleeding; 3. failure of wound to heal; 4. permanent and disfiguring scarring; 5. failure to restore appearance; 6. motor or sensory nerve damage (function and feeling); 7. salivary gland duct damage.