Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

What is Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery?

Oral and maxillofacial surgery focuses on treating problems related to the hard and soft tissues of the face, mouth, and jaws – with the upper jaw being referred to as the maxilla). This type of dental surgery is recommended for a complex tooth extraction or if there is a problem with the alignment of the jaw. These surgeries can be performed in hospitals or in office settings. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons specialize in repairing and reconstructing facial structures and are adept at working with both hard and soft tissues.

Types of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

There are many oral and dental conditions that call for this type of surgery. They include:

Tooth extraction. This is most common form of dental surgery and it includes wisdom tooth removal. Tooth extractions are fairly routine most of the time and don’t require anesthesia.

Corrective jaw surgery. Corrective jaw, or orthognathic, surgery could be needed if braces are not sufficient to fix a misaligned bite. It may also be needed if the bones of the face and jaw need to be reshaped and repositioned while the jaws and teeth are realigned This type of maxillofacial surgery may also be needed if a person was born with a birth defect, or if there are other problems in place, including severe orthodontic conditions, skeletal problems.

Cleft lip or palate surgery. This surgery is typically performed by oral and maxillofacial surgeons to correct the changes in facial structure caused by this birth defect.

Reconstructive surgery. This may be needed if there is dental or facial trauma resulting from a car accident, workplace injury or another traumatic cause. In other cases, this surgery is used to repair facial and dental structure after a tumor removal.

Restorative dental work. Dental implants, denture fittings, crowns and even cosmetic dental surgery all fall under the umbrella of oral and maxillofacial surgery.

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons may also be called on to advise of severe cases of obstructive sleep apnea, facial pain and infection, or oral cancers.

Surgical Expertise at Adena Health System

Adena has more than 30 experienced surgeons on staff, performing more than 10,000 inpatient, outpatient and same day surgical procedures each year. The surgical specialists at Adena Health System are fully dedicated to helping you get the best care available. Adena follows a conservative approach to care — beginning with the least invasive treatment available and progressing to more aggressive care as needed to make sure you get the pain relief you need to live a happy, healthy life. Need help finding a healthcare provider? Search Adena Health System online or call 740-779-FIND (3463).