Oral and maxillofacial surgery is the specialty of dentistry which includes the diagnosis, and treatment of diseases, injuries and defects involving the masticatory (chewing and biting) system and related structures.
Oral surgeons complete an additional 4–7 years of hospital based residency training beyond the four years of dental school. As part of their specialty training they study such diverse areas as anesthesia, head and neck surgery, pathology, trauma, physiology and pharmacology.
The surgery is commonly a minor surgical procedure entailing extraction of teeth if necessary, and the placement of the implant itself. After the dental implant is placed, the healing will happen quite quickly for the soft tissues; within a matter of week or two.
Grafting is a procedure used to replace / restore missing bone or gum tissue. Bone grafting is performed to reverse the bone loss / destruction caused by periodontal (gum) disease, trauma, or ill fitting removable dentures. It is also used to increase bone to permit implant placement.
Tooth extraction is the removal of a tooth from its socket in the bone.
Wisdom teeth, also called third molars, are often extracted either before or after they come in. They commonly come in during the late teens or early 20s.
An impacted tooth simply means that the tooth is “stuck” and cannot erupt or move into place. This is most common with wisdom teeth and with upper “eye teeth”.
A sample of tissue is removed and sent to a pathologist who examines the tissue under a microscope to check for abnormal or malignant cells. If it is determined that the lesion must be removed the oral surgeon works closely with the dentist or doctor and removes the tumor.
An injured individual will most likely be seen by several medical personnel, one of whom will probably be an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons, the surgical specialists of the dental profession, are specifically trained to repair injuries to the mouth, face and jaws.
People who may benefit from corrective jaw surgery include those with an improper bite resulting from misaligned teeth and/or jaws.