Your dentist helps maintain your oral health through regular exams and simple procedures. However, when an oral issue requiring a complex procedure arises, they will refer you to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon (OMS). Here is what an oral and maxillofacial surgeon does.
Examination of Oral Issues and Giving Diagnoses
An oral and maxillofacial surgeon will examine problems relating to the teeth and surrounding tissues and provide diagnoses. These professionals use diagnostic imaging tools like X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans to look inside the mouth of the patient. Thereafter, they will recommend treatment, ranging from medications to surgery, depending on the disorder and its severity.
Procedures Performed by an OMS
After examination and diagnosis, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon will consider their findings. Based on those, they will recommend and perform one of the following procedures:
Treatment of Impacted Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth emerge in the late teens or early teens as the third molars. If they lack enough room to emerge properly, they become impacted, causing pain, damage to adjacent teeth, and infection. To fix this problem, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon will surgically extract the impacted wisdom teeth.
Treatment of Facial Trauma
An oral and maxillofacial surgeon will also treat facial injuries such as fractures on the cheekbones, jaw, and orbital bones. Through reconstructive surgeries, they will repair the damaged bones and tissues to restore the facial structure.
Oral Cancer Management
In collaboration with an oncologist, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon will diagnose and treat oral cancer. Through a biopsy, they will establish the type and cancer stage and surgically remove the cancerous tissues.
Cleft Lift Palate Correction
A cleft lip palate is a congenital defect that occurs when the palate or lip fails to form properly during fetal development. An OMS will perform reconstructive surgery to correct the defect, improving the lip appearance and function.
Schedule Your Appointment Today
OMSs offer surgical and non-surgical treatments for oral disorders upon recommendation by your dentist. Therefore, if you need a second opinion for a surgical recommendation, book your appointment for diagnosis and further treatment with an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon today.
Your dentist helps maintain your oral health through regular exams and simple procedures. However, when an oral issue requiring a complex procedure arises, they will refer you to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon (OMS). Here is what an oral and maxillofacial surgeon does.