What is an Oral Surgeon?

About Oral Surgeons

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are specialists within the field of Dentistry who focus on the surgical treatment of disorders of the mouth, teeth, jaws, and face.

Maxillofacial surgeons have expertise within the fields of dentistry, surgery, and general medicine which allows them to treat a comprehensive number of physiological and esthetic conditions relating to the mouth and face, from tooth removal to cosmetic surgery or corrective surgery.

Conditions that are treated by Oral Surgeons can include the removal of wisdom teeth, as well as teeth that are impacted or damaged due to injury or accident, facial injuries, TMJ disorders, improper bites, misaligned/malformed jaws, dental implants, as well as tumors and cysts of the jaws

Treatments that are performed by Oral surgeons can include dental implant surgery, bone reconstruction, setting fractured jaws and other facial bones, repair of severed nerves, and treating severe infections of the oral cavity.

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons also work in conjunction with other medical specialists within the fields of dentistry and surgery. This includes working alongside an Orthodontist to correct an improper bite by performing jaw surgery to realign and improve a patient’s bite. Oral surgeons also perform surgery to correct birth defects of the face and skull including cleft lip and palate.

Useful Resources

Canada

Canadian Dental Association

Canadian Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

British Columbia

Alberta

Saskatchewan

Manitoba

Ontario

Quebec

Newfoundland and Labrador

New Brunswick