A maxillofacial surgeon is a dental expert with advanced medical knowledge to treat problems affecting the teeth and jaws and the bones and soft tissues of the face. They have the specific training required to treat these conditions surgically as well as suitably administer anesthesia. The term oral and maxillofacial surgeon is applied to these professionals because they treat the mouth comprising the teeth, which is closely connected with the jaws and the face.

The term maxillofacial surgery indicates that it has something to do with the face and the front portion of the head. “Maxillo” is a Latin word root that means “jawbone.” Therefore, the term “maxillofacial” denotes the jawbones and the face, and maxillofacial surgery is a field of medicine focusing on treating conditions in this area through surgical procedures.

What are conditions that may require the expertise of an oral and maxillofacial surgeon?

  • An oral surgeon will help in correcting the abnormality of the bite.
  • They help treat the chronic pain of the face, neck, and jaws.
  • They operate and rectify the cleft lip or palate.
  • An oral and maxillofacial surgeon even perform bone-fused dental implants
  • They can conduct some difficult tooth extractions.
  • They are trained to administer anesthesia for patients during surgery.
  • Perform corrective jaw surgery
  • They also carry out oncologic surgery to remove complex tumors
  • They are experts in reconstructive surgery of the faces damaged by injury or disease
  • A maxillofacial surgeon also conduct dentoalveolar surgery to extract impacted and non-restorable teeth

In what conditions do you require Maxillofacial Surgery?

Maxillofacial surgery is technically a more advanced form of oral surgery. A maxillofacial surgeon can perform a wide range of surgical procedures connected to the mouth, jaws, and face. There are no possible restrictions on the types of dental surgery that a maxillofacial surgeon can perform. This means that they can carry out tooth extractions, dental implants, gum surgery, and other advanced procedures.

A person may require a maxillofacial procedure if you have an issue that extends beyond the mouth. For instance, if you have an irregularity of the nasal cavity, a maxillofacial surgeon may be able to perform a procedure to rectify it. Maxillofacial surgeons are often called to deal with patients who have sustained some trauma to the face. A trauma can be a sudden, violent blow that often causes bones to break and may lead to facial disfiguration.

At times, you may develop abnormal growths in the area of your head, neck, or mouth. These growths can be either benign, meaning they are harmless, or malignant, meaning they are cancerous. A maxillofacial surgeon can make a distinction between the two and extend the treatment accordingly.

Call us at Myers or schedule an online appointment to know more about Maxillofacial Oral Surgery