Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

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Maxillofacial and oral surgery are recognised specialties of highly trained and qualified surgeons who perform corrective surgery for conditions affecting the maxillofacial area, including the head, neck, face, and jaw.

In particular when it comes to the mouth and jaw, dental surgeons can perform surgeries to repair injuries and trauma, or to enhance the appearance of these areas. For those lacking functionality or confidence in their mouth and jaw, this can be a good option to improve health and happiness.

Dentists in Australia require an additional three to six years of training to qualify as an oral and maxillofacial surgeon.

What does oral and maxillofacial surgery treat?

In the realm of dentistry, this is usually any areas that affect the health of your teeth, gums, and mouth, such as:

• Surgery where dental implants are required to attach hearing aids
• Complex tooth extractions
• Dental surgery on medically vulnerable or compromised patients
• Bone grafts
• Corrective surgery on jaws
• TMJ disorder
• Reconstructive surgery to fix bites
• Tumour and cancer surgery
• Snoring and sleep apnoea corrective surgery
• Cleft lip and palate surgery

How does oral and maxillofacial surgery work?

As this could be anything from removing an impacted and infected wisdom tooth to repairing a cleft lip, the surgery itself will vary greatly from one to another.

Generally speaking however, the process will begin with a series of consultations, including x-rays and physical inspections. Your dentist or doctor may refer you to a specialist for surgery, although some dentists have completed the training and have the experience to do dental surgeries themselves.

Your health professional will talk you through each step so you know what to expect from the surgery itself, recovery time and expectations, and any follow-up care you may need.