What is Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery?
Oral and maxillofacial surgery is the specialty providing surgical care for the mouth and jaw. It is unusual in that it is a hybrid specialty combining the professional education of both dentists and medical doctors. The path to becoming an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, or simply 'oral surgeon,' begins with graduating from dental school. The dentist then attends a surgical residency in a hospital, learning general surgical techniques alongside other physicians. While many routine oral issues can be treated by a dentist, there are some that require specialized surgical care. Some of the procedures performed by oral and maxillofacial surgeons include:- Removing wisdom teeth
- Dental implants
- Corrective surgery for facial deformities
- Repair of facial trauma
- Cleft lip or cleft palate surgery
- TMJ surgery
- Orthognathic surgery (jaw alignment)
- Sleep apnea surgery
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