What is Oral Surgery?
Oral surgery is typically performed by an Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon (OMS) and involves diagnosis and/or surgical treatment of injuries, defects, or diseases that involve the functional and aesthetic aspects of the soft and hard tissues that comprise the oral and maxillofacial area.
This can cover a wide range of procedures associated with the jaws, mouth, neck, and facial structures. Examples include the following:
- Administering anesthesia
- Complex dental extractions
- Correcting cleft palates
- Corrective jaw surgery
- Cosmetic surgery of the jaw, face, and neck
- Dental implant placement
- Performing extractions for teeth that are non-restorable and/or impacted (dentoalveolar surgery)
- Rebuilding damaged cheeks, jaws, cheeks, eye sockets, noses, and foreheads
- Reconstructive surgery
- Removal of tumors and cysts (oncologic surgery)
- Soft tissue biopsies
- TMJ surgery
- Treatment of chronic conditions such as sleep apnea
Additional examples of oral surgical procedures include the following.
Tooth Extractions
Tooth extraction is one of the more common oral surgeries. A patient may need to have a tooth extracted for several different reasons, such as:
- Wisdom teeth that are impacted or partially erupted
- Primary teeth that do not naturally fall out, which results in permanent teeth not being able to erupt
- Teeth beyond repair due to trauma, decay, fracture, etc.
Corrective Jaw Surgery
Jaw surgery may be recommended for a variety of reasons, such as the following:
- Issues related to trauma or deformation
- Patients whose jaw is improperly positioned
- Tooth or teeth that are worn due to clenching or grinding
- Patients who have trouble when opening or closing their mouth, or while chewing, eating, or talking
Dental Implants
Patients that require improved stability for their dentures or who are missing teeth may benefit from a dental implant. Dental implants can either be placed in the jawbone (endosteal) or on top of the bone (subperiosteal). Recovery time varies from patient to patient, but most patients who have a dental implant
procedure can return to normal activities within one week of surgery.
What to Expect from Oral Surgery
The specific steps involved in having oral surgery performed will vary depending upon the type of procedure you are undergoing. Be sure to talk with your oral surgeon prior to the surgery to go over the steps involved, as well as what dietary modifications you will need to make before and after the procedure, and what you can do to ensure that you have a speedy and effective recovery.
Most oral surgery procedures will include the use of either general or local anesthesia. General anesthesia will create an anesthetic condition throughout the body, whereas a local anesthetic is injected into the specific site where surgery is being performed. Patients receiving general anesthesia will likely need to abstain from food and beverages the night before the surgery.
After administration of the anesthesia, your oral surgeon will perform the surgical procedure. Once complete, your oral surgeon will give you instructions for post-operative care, which may involve modifications to your oral self-care habits, food restrictions, and/or prescription of pain relieving medications and/or antibiotics. To ensure that you heal properly and as quickly as possible, it is critical that you follow these post-operative instructions as closely as possible.
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