What Is an Oral Surgeon and What Do They Specialize in?

Oral surgeons, technically called oral and maxillofacial surgeons, are doctors who have specialized and received four to six years of additional schooling in a hospital-based residency program to treat problems linked to the stern and delicate tissues of the face, mouth, and jaws. Oral surgeons are experts in performing various dental procedures that dentists cannot perform because they haven’t received the training required to achieve them.

The architectural key of the face is the complicated maxilla involves the eye sockets, hard palate, nasal cavities, et cetera. Besides receiving training in general surgery, an oral surgeon receives additional training to handle these complex procedures. The specialists also spent time learning specialty areas like internal medicine, anesthesiology, and otolaryngology related to the ear, throat, and nose. Their residency also includes plastic surgery and emergency medicine. Oral surgeons are experts at diagnosing and treating all problems related to the jaw and facial muscles.

What Is the Role Assigned to an Oral Surgeon?

An oral surgeon is a crucial part of dental work. If you need a wisdom tooth extraction, you receive a referral from your dentist to an oral surgeon who routinely performs these procedures. If you have an impacted wisdom tooth, you require surgical removal, which may involve administering general anesthesia. Oral surgeons have received the training to perform the complicated process with ease during their residency program.

Dental implants are an option for replacing missing teeth due to accidents, infections, or alternatives for bridges or dentures. The implants function as artificial tooth roots surgically anchored in place to stabilize your artificial teeth. Suitable candidates for implants must have an adequate bone level and density, not be prone to infections, and willing to maintain acceptable oral hygiene practices. If you need to undergo dental surgery in Toronto, you must see an oral surgeon for jaw surgery for implant placement.

After receiving a referral to an oral surgeon for any procedure, the professional may perform the surgery in an oral surgery day Center or a hospitalized setting. The infrastructure available with the oral surgeon determines where they decide to perform any surgical procedure.

Why Must You See an Oral Surgeon?

You may visit your dentist with your kid to correct a misaligned bite that the dentist can’t fix through orthodontics. Oral surgeons perform pediatric oral surgery with orthognathic procedures for remedying the jaw. This specific procedure may also be essential to repair congenital abnormalities or congenital disabilities like a cleft palate.

If a member of your family is diagnosed with tumors in the oral cavity or facial area, the dentist refers you to an oral surgeon to have the tumors removed. Oral surgeons can effectively remove the problem area and determine whether they are benign or malignant.

Besides the above, an oral surgeon also treats facial trauma requiring them to reconnect severed nerves or set fractured jaws and facial bones. They can also treat minor to complicated facial skin lacerations. Oral surgeons treat facial injuries to the oral tissues, jaws, seeks, eye sockets, nasal bones, and forehead.

If affected by temporomandibular joint disorders, you may experience severe discomfort and pain. Oral surgeons can perform joint surgery for severe cases of TMJ disorders to alleviate headaches and facial pain.

Oral surgeons work alongside plastic surgeons to perform facial rehabilitation surgery to accomplish the desired facial structure changes to enhance appearance, whether cosmetic or reconstructive.

Why Don’t Dentists Perform the Duties of Oral Surgeons?

Dentists begin practicing immediately after graduating from dental school without specializing in any other field. An oral surgeon receives additional years of schooling, training and has the experience needed to treat unique issues with skill and expertise.

The oral and maxillofacial areas are complicated, requiring an oral surgeon’s experience and expertise for treating them. If you want treatment from an expert who can alleviate your problems the first time, you must prefer seeing an oral surgeon correct any issues you have.

Dentists don’t hesitate to perform minor procedures like straightforward extractions or even dental implants. However, when confronted with complicated cases, they do not hesitate to refer you to an oral surgeon who is your answer to better living. Visiting an oral surgeon near you allows you to get rid of tumors, pain, and embarrassment. Whatever you require, rest assured an oral surgeon is willing to fulfill your desire.