What is Oral Surgery?
Many people need oral surgery at some point in their lives. Oral surgery is just as serious as any other type of surgery. Many people are scared of receiving necessary oral surgery treatment because of a fear of dentists. Learning about oral surgery should help quell any fears that a potential patient may have.
Oral surgery is a form of specialized practice in dentistry. This specialty is also referred to as maxillofacial surgery, because it encompasses the identification and diagnosis of issues that effect the mouth and jaws. These could include disease, natural defects and damage from accidental injury to teeth, soft tissue and bone.
The practice seeks to not only repair existing issues and prevent new ones, but also it is also employed to improve cosmetic appearance.
Oral surgery may only be performed by an oral surgeon that has been certified by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
Oral surgery usually involves some sore of anesthesia
There are several types of oral surgery procedures:
- Removal of teeth that are impacted or that cannot be saved. The most common extraction involves the wisdom teeth. These become impacted or crowded among existing teeth, causing great pain and future tooth decay and alignment issue.
- The insertion of dental implants.
- Repair of facial injuries due to trauma.
- Treatment and removal of cysts and tumors in the facial and oral regions.
- Treatment and correction of birth defects such as cleft lip and cleft palate.
- Performing cosmetic surgery and reconstructive treatments.
- Treatment of muscle and/or jaw pain. The most common is known as TMJ and involves a small joint in the skull below the ear at which point the jaw meets.
- Oral surgery is used in the identification of oral cancer. Oral surgeons conduct biopsies of tissue for testing
- Oral surgery is used to treat sleeping disorders such as excessive snoring and sleep apnea.
- Oral surgery can be used to align teeth and make them more suitable for orthodontic treatments such as braces.