What is oral surgery?

Oral surgery is a specialized surgical branched of dentistry dealing with diseases, defects or damage to the mouth, teeth, jaw and face.

Common oral surgery procedures

1) Impacted wisdom teeth removal
Wisdom teeth are essentially the third molars . With most patients these third molars usually emerge in the mouth by late teens or early twenties. . For most adults, the mouth is too small to accommodate the wisdom teeth as a result most of them are impacted in bone and prevented from full eruptions.

 

2) Corrective jaw surgery
This is also known as orthognathic sugery. Incorrect jaw position , either too far forward or retruded can by corrected by the oral surgeon so as to improve biting function and to improve appearance (facial profile )

 

3) Removal of cyst and tumours in the jaw bone
Cyst or benign tumours are common pathology in the mouth and jaw bone and this pathology can easily be surgical removed . In cancer cases however, the oral surgeon has to work in conjuction with medical oncologist and head and neck surgeons.

 

4) Management of trauma
to the jaw and facial bones as a result of accident. For example jaw fractures, cheek bone fractures which require fixation and realignment so as to restore function and appearance.