What is Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery?

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is a medical and dental specialty of surgery which involves the diagnosis, surgery and adjunctive treatment of diseases and defects involving both the functional and aesthetic aspects of the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial region. (American Dental Association)

More simply put in layman's terms, the oral and maxillofacial surgeon is the orthopedic surgeon of the facial region. He or she is an individual who addresses problems ranging from the removal of impacted teeth to the repair of facial trauma. He or she may be a doctor you would visit to:

• Have a tooth extraction.


• Have teeth replaced by having dental implants inserted.


• Have oral surgical procedures performed in the office under outpatient ambulatory anesthesia.


• Have a jaw cyst or tumor diagnosed, removed and reconstructed.


• Have your jaw aligned with orthognathic surgery.


• Have you jaw joint repaired with TMJ surgery.


• Have jaw reconstruction following cancer surgery.


• Have your facial bones realigned after facial trauma.


• Have a consultation to determine whether you are a candidate for aesthetic surgery.