What is Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery?
The Canadian Dental Association (CDA) defines Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery as: “that branch and specialty of dentistry which is concerned with and includes the diagnosis, surgical and adjunctive treatment of disorders, diseases, injuries and defects, involving the functional and aesthetic aspects of the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial regions and related structures."
Oral and Maxillofacial treatment includes: dental implants, surgery of the oral cavity and wisdom teeth, anaesthesia, jaw & improper bite, facial trauma, cosmetic facial surgery, joint disorders, obstructive sleep apnea, pathology and reconstruction, and cleft lip and palate.
A specialist in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is called a Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon.
What is an Oral MaxilloFacial Surgeon?
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (OMFS) are uniquely trained to manage the diagnosis, surgical and medical treatment of diseases, as well as traumatic injuries and deformities of the mouth and facial region. OMFS are trained to correct the results of birth defects and accidents, tumours, missing and impacted teeth and malfunction of the jaw joints. To make procedures more comfortable for patients, various methods of sedation are available to patients, including local anaesthesia, intravenous conscious sedation, and general anaesthesia.
OMFS are dental specialists who are surgically trained in hospital-based residency programs and work with medical residents in numerous different medical specialities to gain comprehensive knowledge. This knowledge is focused on the mouth, jaw, face, muscles of the face, bone, and skin.