What Is Arthrocentesis?
There are many dental procedures that are less known and hard to pronounce – arthrocentesis being one of them. But as complicated as it might be to say – this minor procedure is actually pretty straightforward.
Arthrocentesis, which many call a joint tap is a procedure where a surgeon inserts a needle into the joint for a multitude of reasons. This needle can distribute medicine or extract unnecessary fluids. Most commonly, this procedure removes fluids from joints to relieve pressure, providing relief for ailments like TMJ.
How Does One Perform The Procedure?
This surgery, although minor, best performs under general anesthesia. It generally performs better in the oral and maxillofacial surgeon’s office or in an outpatient surgical center.
As this procedure is minimally invasive, it tends to be a fairly easy process at a low cost to the patient. However, this procedure doesn’t allow the oral and maxillofacial surgeon to see inside the joint, which doesn’t allow them to see any further problems that might be going on. Eventually this creates the need for further procedures if the problem persists.
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