Oral Surgeon

An oral and maxillofacial surgeon diagnoses and treats diseases, injuries and abnormalities of the hard and soft tissues of neck, face, head and jaws. Surgical procedures include implants, tissue and bone grafts, complicated extractions, repair and restoration of oral tissues and supporting structures and facial cosmetic surgery. Oral surgeons will also treat injuries to [Page 1290]the teeth and face, including tooth damage, and facial bone fractures.

Education includes four years of dental school, followed by an additional four years or more of in-hospi-tal surgical training with residency rotations in internal medicine, general surgery, anesthesiology, otolaryngology, plastic surgery, emergency medicine, and other subspecialties. Oral surgeons are also required to take written national and state boards.

Oral surgeons may practice within an office or in a hospital setting. Those in private practice may expand to encompass a wide range of dental, skeletal and facial problems, including the surgical placement of implants and surgeries for temperomandibular joint disorders and cleft palate repair. Oral surgeons may also treat sinus disorders. The use of imaging (X-ray, CT scan and MRI) will allow for examination of bone and supporting structures.

The most common procedure performed by an oral surgeon are extractions, including removal of impacted molars that will cause damage to other teeth. Extraction of other teeth may be necessary to prevent damage to underlying bone or gums. An impacted tooth is removed by incision of the overlying tissue and pulling the tooth out with a forceps, or by cutting the bone for easier removal. Managing infections in the teeth and surrounding structures might require excision of the cause and damaged area, surgical drainage and administration of antibiotics. The oral surgeon will make recommendations for post-surgical care and pain management.