What is oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS)?
Oral and maxillofacial surgery is a specialised surgical branch of dentistry that focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and surgical management of diseases, injuries, and defects involving the face, jaws, and hard and soft tissues of the oral (mouth) regions.
What do maxillofacial surgeons do?
The field of oral and maxillofacial surgery ranges from simple extractions and surgical removal of buried teeth to the management of oro-facial trauma, correction of dentofacial deformities, and management of pathologies involving the mouth and jaw.
Common oral surgical procedures include:
- Extraction of teeth (including wisdom teeth)
- Extractions for medically compromised patients
- Placement of dental implants
- Bone grafting
- Tongue-tie surgery
- Diagnosis and treatment of cysts and tumours
- Correction of jaw deformities
Common jaw surgery procedures often involve reconstructive surgery to correct anomalies in the size, shape, or position of the jaw bones. These are usually done in conjunction with the orthodontist to ensure proper alignment of the teeth after jaw surgery.
Oral and maxillofacial procedures
| Treatment | Description |
|---|---|
| Wisdom tooth removal | Surgical removal of wisdom teeth is required when they are impacted (blocked from erupting completely in the mouth), growing at an angle, or causing pain and swelling due to infection or decay. This is a common procedure that prevents further oral health problems. |
| Dental implants | Dental implants are artificial tooth roots surgically placed into the jawbone to support replacement teeth such as crowns, bridges, or dentures
Dental implants provide a permanent solution for missing teeth and are commonly used as alternatives to dentures or fixed bridges. |
| Corrective jaw surgery (Orthognathic surgery) | Jaw misalignment resulting in overbite or underbite could be due to the discrepancies in jaw size or shape, causing functional problems with chewing, speech, or even breathing. Corrective jaw surgery restores function and improves oral health and facial aesthetics. |
| Maxillofacial trauma surgery | This involves treating facial fractures and dental injuries caused by trauma such as sports injuries, road traffic accidents, falls, and other incidents. |
| Diagnosis and management of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders | TMJ disorders cause pain and / or restricted function of the jaw joint. They may result from issues in the masticatory (chewing) muscles or the jaw joint itself. Management of temporomandibular disorder (TMD) may require an OMS specialist to provide non-surgical and surgical options for effective treatment. Management ranges from conservative treatment to medications, occlusal splint, joint lavage, or open joint surgery. |
| Pre-prosthetic surgery | Before dental implants or dentures can be fitted, an OMS specialist may work together with other dental specialists or prosthodontist to prepare the mouth. |
| Cyst, tumour, and oral pathology treatment | Oral and facial cysts or tumours can be diagnosed and managed surgically under the care of an OMS specialist. |
