And maxillo facial surgeons

Dental implants and extraction of wisdom teeth, or third molars, are the most common oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures. But OMSs do much more. Since the earliest days of the specialty, OMSs have expanded their scope of practice to include surgery of the entire maxillofacial complex. Their knowledge and skills make them proficient in the management of bony and soft tissue reconstruction of the entire maxillofacial skeleton. Major areas of OMS practice include:.

Maxillofacial" refers to the face and jaws, while "Oral" refers to the mouth. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are dental specialists who treat conditions, defects, injuries and esthetic aspects of the mouth, teeth, jaws and face. Their training involves a four year graduate degree in dentistry and the completion of a minimum four year hospital surgical residency program. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons care for patients who experience such conditions as problem wisdom teeth, facial pain and misaligned jaws. They treat accident victims suffering from facial injuries, offer reconstructive and dental implant surgery, and care for patients with tumors or cysts of the jaws and functional and esthetic conditions of the maxillofacial areas.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons are specialists in the diagnosis and treatment of a broad range of disorders affecting the facial complex and skeleton, including the jaws and oral cavity. These include a range of common oral surgical problems eg. Following the acquisition of dental and medical degrees, prospective trainees must complete basic general surgical training as residents and then apply to be selected into one one of the six Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery training Centres. Specialty training involves four years with an examination in the first year and the final examination in the fourth year. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery training, together with a compulsory research component and the final Fellowship qualification, are recognized by both the Australian Medical Council and the Australian Dental Council.

An oral and maxillofacial surgeon applies extensive education and experience to:. Meet real patients who share their stories of how a procedure performed by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon made a difference in their lives. Ryan was referred to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon after a tooth extraction revealed an aggressive tumor in his jaw.