Oral Surgeons are also known as maxillofacial surgeons. These oral practitioners mainly focus on correcting issues involving the hard and soft tissue of the face, mouth, and jaw. Oral surgeons are unique amongst their dental specialist peers in several ways.
One of the biggest differences is the type of training they go through. Usually after completing four years of dental school they will then spend another four years in a surgery-based residency typically within a hospital. In this role they perform techniques such as emergency medicine, general surgery, and anesthesiology making them the only other healthcare specialists besides anesthesiologists that can administer all types of sedation methods.
Procedural Expertise:
Many patients typically visit an oral surgeon for tooth extractions or dental implants, but they are more than capable of preforming other dental procedures such as (but not limited to):
Cleft Lip/Palate Surgery – cleft palate surgeries are normally structured as a series of surgeries; this limits complications to the patient that are normally children suffering from this birth defect.
Corrective Jaw treatments – This is also known as orthognathic surgery. Oral surgeons mainly perform this type of treatment for correcting major skeletal/dental irregularities to improve a patient’s chewing, speaking, and breathing.
TMJ and Facial Pain Corrections – Although surgery to treat TMJ disorders should be considered as a last result due to the risk and painful recovery, oral surgeons will still offer procedures like arthrocentesis, modified condylotomy, disc repositioning, discectomy, and joint replacement.
Cancer Surgery – An oral surgeon can diagnose and manage maxillofacial diseases. A lot of these types of procedures include the removal of cysts, tumors and other severe oral infections.
Facial Cosmetic Procedures – these procedures usually include treatments like face-lifts, rhinoplasties, and eyelid surgery. Cosmetic procedures are typically preformed to improve unwanted facial features or correct the functionality of the jaw or face.
Contact us:
For more information on oral surgery and the different type of treatments, contact our office today to schedule a consultation with Dr. William F. Lane D.M.D. Our friendly and knowledgeable team at Lane Oral Surgery are here to answer any questions you might have about all things dental related. We are currently located in the in the south of Boston area in Massachusetts, to better assist you with your oral healthcare.