Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is a surgical discipline involving surgical procedures of mouth, teeth, jaw, face and head-neck. The physicians specialized in this field intervene dental and jaw problems, face and jaw traumas, problems of jaw joints and other problems requiring jaw, face and head-neck surgery.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

What Is Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery?
Which Procedures Does Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Involve?

What Is Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery?

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is a surgical discipline involving surgical procedures of mouth, teeth, jaw, face and head-neck.

The physicians specialized in this field intervene dental and jaw problems, face and jaw traumas, problems of jaw joints and other problems requiring jaw, face and head-neck surgery.

Which Procedures Does Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Involve?

Numerous different procedures can be performed in the field of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. The procedures can vary based on needs, diagnosis and treatment plan of patients. Some of the commonly performed surgeries are as follows:

Surgical Tooth Extraction: Surgical extraction of decayed, damaged, inflamed or growing teeth. This method is performed for tooth extraction, gingival diseases, post-trauma damage, prevention of decay from spreading to other teeth.
Dental Implants: Surgical placement of artificial dental roots in tooth loss areas. Dental implants are used to correct missing teeth, chewing difficulty caused by tooth loss and aesthetic problems.
Soft Tissue Surgery: Surgical correction or removal of soft tissues in the mouth. These procedures are performed for removal of tumor or oral mucosa lesions and repair of mouth sore.
Maxillofacial Surgery: Procedures such as treatment of mandibular fracture, correction of mandibular abnormality or inconsistency, reconstruction of the jaw structure. This surgical technique is required for the mandibular fractures, temporomandibular joint problems, inconsistent mandibular size and the jaw tumors.
Orthognathic Surgery: Surgical realignment of the jaw bones for correction of inconsistencies between upper and lower jaws. This procedure is performed to correct misalignment jaw or jaw dislocation and improve chewing function and appearance of the jaw.
Face and Jaw Reconstruction: Repair or surgical reconstruction of post-trauma damage on face and jaw area. Reconstructive surgery may be required for conditions such as trauma, facial fractures, jawbone defects, face and jaw tumors.
Temporomandibular Joint Surgery: Procedures such as surgical interventions, intraarticular injections or arthroscopy for treatment of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. Among the TMJ disorders, there are temporomandibular joint pain, lockjaw and temporomandibular dysfunction.
Periodontal Surgery: Procedures such as treatment of severe gingival diseases, gingival grafting, bone grafting or gingival reconstruction. The periodontal surgery is performed to intervene advanced gingival disease, gingival recession and bone loss.
Correction of Congenital Abnormalities: Surgical correction of congenital clefts of the jaw, lip or palate. This procedure is conducted to correct congenital disorders such as cleft lip and palate (palatoschisis) and jaw abnormalities (e.g. mandibular micrognathia).
Sinus Lifting: Surgical lifting or bone grafting of the maxillary sinus cavity to create sufficient bone volume required for dental implants. This procedure is performed in patients with insufficient bone volume for placement of dental implants in upper jaw.
Removal of Oral Tumors: Surgical removal of benign or malignant tumors. These tumors can develop in mouth, tongue, lips, gingivae or other oral tissues.
Bone Grafts: Surgical placement of bone grafts to achieve sufficient bone volume for dental implants or other restorative procedures. This procedure is performed in patients with no sufficient bone for dental implant placement due to bone loss.
Wisdom Tooth Extraction: Extraction of third molars, also known as wisdom teeth, due to jaw structure or poor oral hygiene. Extraction of the wisdom teeth can be required when they are impacted or mislocated.
Oral Cancer Surgery: Surgical removal of oral tumors. Oral cancer can develop in tongue, lips, gingivae, floor of the mouth or other oral tissues. Surgical removal is generally performed to prevent the cancer from spreading and treat the disease.
Orthodontic Surgery: Surgical correction of inconsistencies that cannot be corrected with orthodontic treatment. This procedure is required for conditions such as misaligned jaw, jaw abnormalities or jaw closing problems.
Facial Trauma Surgery: Repair of post-trauma facial fractures and aesthetic restoration of the face. This surgical intervention is conducted for the facial fractures caused by injury, sports injury or other traumas.