Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (or simply just oral surgery) is one of the nine specialties recognized by the American Dental Association. It involves the use of surgical procedures to treat diseases and damages concerning the functional and cosmetic aspects of your teeth, mouth, face, and jaws (maxillofacial area).
An oral surgeon (an oral and maxillofacial surgeon or OMFS) must complete 4 or more years of additional training in an accredited hospital-based oral surgery program or residency. Oral surgeons can do the following:
- Extract damaged and impacted teeth. They can also provide in-house anesthesia services, which include general anesthesia and intravenous (IV) sedation.
- Place dental implants. This is usually done with a cosmetic dentist. The oral surgeon can fix the bone in the area where the implants will be placed. They can also modify the gum area to make it look better and more natural.
- Repair facial trauma. They can treat facial skin cuts, and repair fractured facial and jaw bones. They can also reconnect severed nerves and treat other injuries to the face and skull.
- Evaluate cysts and tumors. Both benign and malignant tumors and cysts can be treated. This also includes treating severe infections in the oral cavity and other related areas.
- Relieve facial pain. The treatment of facial pain disorders includes dealing with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problems.
- Perform corrective jaw surgery. They can realign the upper and lower jaws as well correct defects such as cleft palates and lips. This can improve breathing, chewing, and speaking.
- Perform cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. Trauma or the removal of cysts and tumors sometimes lead to facial bone and soft tissue problems. The surgery can then restore the function of the affected areas, and the form can be improved by using tissues, bones, and skin from other parts of your body.
- Correct obstructive sleep apnea. Some surgeries can correct the soft palate, move the jaws forward, or tighten the tongue tendon to improve your breathing and treat your sleep apnea.
Call us for your dental problems so we can check if oral surgery is needed. We have the necessary training and tools needed should oral surgery become necessary.