Guide to Dental Surgery
If you have an impacted wisdom tooth that requires surgery to remove, you may need to visit an oral surgeon. This specialist works in dental surgery, a complex area of dentistry also known as oral and maxillofacial surgery. This is a guide to dental surgery and how it is used to treat patients.
Training and Education
All dentists start off learning the basics of dental care. They also learn basic oral surgery methods. However, some students choose to specialize in oral surgery by taking four more years of in-depth training. This training involves an internship at a hospital or equivalent facility. Students will achieve advanced skills by rotating in a number of extensive areas, including:
- Internal medicine
- Anesthesiology
- Surgical techniques
- Neurology
Treated Conditions and Specialized Procedures
Dental surgery consists of a number techniques and procedures. Removal of impacted wisdom teeth, mouth cancer treatment and misaligned jaw conditions are several problems addressed by oral surgeons. Other conditions include:
- Broken bones in the face
- Facial and mouth lesions
- Jaw infections
- Removal of palate tissue to stop snoring
Oral surgery is also used to place dental implants, fix the joints within the jaw and correct jaw irregularities for denture placement.
Tools Used in Dental Surgery
Oral surgery uses many important tools in order to complete procedures. Examples of these tools are:
- Forceps
- Chisels
- Extractors
- Pliers
- Luxators
Medications
Nitrous oxide, also commonly known as laughing gas, is one medication used in dental surgery. Surgeons may also use oral medications and intravenous anesthetics to prevent pain in their patients. Like any medication used in surgery, the staff must monitor its effect on the patient's vital signs.