Oral surgeons (generally oral and maxillofacial surgeons) perform a number of surgical procedures related to the face, mouth, and jaw, as well as some related non-surgical procedures. They are most commonly called upon to remove wisdom teeth.
Who needs an Oral Surgeon?
Anyone who has a surgical need regarding their mouth, face, or jawbone will likely need to visit an oral surgeon. Most oral surgeons perform both medically-necessary and cosmetic procedures.
In addition to these patients, oral surgeons also treat individuals suffering from conditions such as Temporomandibular Joint Disease (TMJ), which causes significant facial and jaw pain, but does not require surgery.
What to expect when you first meet an Oral Surgeon
With the exception of emergency situations, your oral surgeon will almost always wish to meet with you at an appointment separate from your surgery. During this visit, they want to learn as much as they can about what brought you into their office. They will likely take x-rays, but will not necessarily perform an exam.
If you were referred for a specific reason, such as wisdom teeth removal, the oral surgeon will go over the details of the procedure, answer any questions you may have, and give you some paperwork to take home and review. This will go over such things as not eating prior to surgery, arranging for someone else to drive you, after-care instructions, and the like.
If you made the appointment with the oral surgeon because you are experiencing symptoms that you have not yet received a diagnosis for, they will take a more detailed history and probably perform an exam. The oral surgeon may want to review your dental or other health records.
During this initial visit, they may or may not be able to provide you with a diagnosis and/or treatment options; instead, they may decide to refer you to another specialist, want you to undergo testing, or suggest trying a non-surgical approach first and then scheduling a follow-up appointment.
Oral surgery services
Oral surgeons are normally thought of only for wisdom tooth extractions, but their range of services is actually far wider. Among other things, oral surgeons deal with oral cancers, and perform examinations and surgical procedures necessary for treating cancers of the mouth and jaw.
In addition to performing surgery, oral surgeons also offer non-surgical treatment options for certain conditions that are closely related to their area of specialty. Afflictions like TMJ can be treated with a mouth brace, for example.
Orthodontists and oral surgeons often work together to provide maximum benefits to their patients. In the case of a deformed or disproportionately-sized jawbone that causes damage and/or alignment problems to the teeth, an oral surgeon can often re-position the jaw more appropriately. The orthodontist can then follow-up with braces.
Many oral surgeons also perform a variety of both cosmetic and reconstructive procedures. These services include fixing a jawbone that healed improperly after a fracture (or multiple fractures), extending a flat chin outwards, and even denture repair.
