Oral And Maxillofacial Surgery Department -

The Oral And Maxillofacial Surgery Department> The oral and maxillofacial surgery department, also called the surgical specialties department or oral surgery department, is a section found within many hospitals. Although this department has become more commonplace at most larger hospitals, it is primarily focused on those patients suffering from either birth defects of the face or tumors of the head and neck. The goal of this specialty department is to restore functionality to individuals who have suffered facial trauma or loss of function in their jaw or mouth.

If you’ve been unfortunate enough to have bad teeth, you might have heard about oral and maxillofacial surgery. This is an option for those people who want a better smile. People come to doctors in this field of dentistry when they are suffering from a number of issues related to their teeth or gums. For example, if some of your teeth are missing, then you could suffer with how the missing teeth look as well as how it is affecting the rest of your mouth. It might make it harder for you to chew your food and even impact your ability to speak.

What Is The Oral And Maxillofacial Surgery Department

Specialty Area	Description
Dentoalveolar Surgery	Surgery of the tooth-bearing part of the jaws Includes impacted teeth, complex tooth extractions Cysts and lesions of the oral mucous membranes
Oral Medicine	Diagnosis and medical treatment of oral mucosa conditions Treatment of ulcers, infections, and diseases of the mouth
Orthognathic Surgery/Facial Deformity	Surgically moving the jaws to correct anomalies Collaboration with orthodontists for treatment planning Management of craniofacial deformities, cleft lip and palate
Trauma	Treatment of facial fractures, including orbital fractures Management of lacerations and craniofacial trauma Post-traumatic deformity treatment
Oral and Facial Cancers	Multidisciplinary approach to head and neck cancer Combined clinics with various specialties Treatment planning and radiotherapy/chemotherapy as needed
Treatment of Neck Lumps	Management of salivary gland diseases Includes obstruction, inflammatory diseases, tumors Parotid surgery and minimally invasive techniques
Facial Pain	Diagnosis and treatment services for facial pain
Jaw Joint Disorders	Treatment and surgery for temporomandibular (TM) joint disorders Outpatient services with occasional general anesthesia
Secondary Cleft Lip and Palate Deformities	Management follows established international protocols Primary treatment by plastic surgeons Bone-grafting and orthognathic surgery by maxillofacial team
Medically Compromised Patients	Management of patients requiring dental surgery Includes cardiac patients, transplants, and immunocompromised patients
Outpatient Services and General Anesthetics	Provided at John Radcliffe Hospital and spoke units Referrals from general dental and medical practitioners Support from maxillofacial technicians for prostheses and appliances

Specialist Clinics

Facial Deformity (Orthognathic) Clinic

Joint Cleft Lip and Palate Clinic

Joint Head and Neck Oncology Clinic

Craniofacial Trauma

Craniofacial Deformity

Maxillofacial Surgery

Maxillofacial surgery is a type of dentistry that involves correcting diseases, injuries, and defects in the face, jaw, or mouth. It is performed by highly trained dental surgeons who diagnose and treat problems with the bones and tissues of the jaw and lower face, the roof of the mouth (palate), and teeth. The surgery aims to improve jaw function and relieve pain, address a wide variety of dental problems, and treat oral diseases. Other procedures include bone grafting, reconstructing the jaw to correct an abnormal bite, treating tempromandibular joint disorders, and treating injuries related to trauma. Other reasons for performing maxillofacial surgery include correcting congenital abnormalities, diagnosing and treating cysts, tumors, cancer, chronic facial pain, and treating facial trauma.

Both maxillofacial and oral surgeons are the same, but some surgeons limit their practice to oral surgery and office-based procedures, while others prefer more hospital-based procedures. Overall, maxillofacial surgery is a crucial part of dentistry that can help reduce pain, fix deformities, and restore function.

Procedure details

Before maxillofacial surgery, a healthcare provider will refer the patient to a specialist who will discuss symptoms, medical history, medications, and examine the oral cavity and surrounding areas. The surgeon may order tests like dental X-rays or 3D scans to obtain detailed images of the maxillofacial structures and diagnose the condition.

During maxillofacial surgery, the procedure varies depending on the problem and procedure. Some surgeries can be done in an outpatient setting, while others involve multiple surgeries. Anesthesia is typically administered to prevent pain or put the patient to sleep. Towards the end of the procedure, stitches may be used to close any surgical wounds and place packing in the mouth to protect the teeth or the wound and absorb fluids.

After maxillofacial surgery, the patient may experience bleeding, bruising, limited use of the jaw and teeth, and swelling. The surgical team will discuss the surgery, recovery, and self-care during recovery. If receiving anesthesia, someone should drive the patient home.

Maxillofacial surgery has advantages such as permanent improvement in pain, function, and appearance. However, it also has risks and complications, such as bleeding, dry socket, infection, numbness, pain, nerve damage, root fragments, and TMJ disorders. Recovery depends on the type of procedure and may involve discomfort, sensitivity, swelling, and bleeding for at least a few days. Pain medications may be recommended by the healthcare provider.

Response to recovery depends on the type of procedure and may include avoiding certain foods and activities, resting, and using ice packs to reduce inflammation.

Conclusion

Oral and maxillofacial surgery is intellectually and physically demanding and is among the most highly compensated surgical specialties in the United States, with a 2008 average annual income of $568,968.

The popularity of oral and maxillofacial surgery as a career for persons whose first degree was medicine, not dentistry, seems to be increasing. At least one program (University of Alabama at Birmingham) exists that allows highly qualified candidates whose first degree is in medicine to earn the required dental degree so as to qualify for entrance into oral and maxillofacial residency training programs and ultimately achieve board eligibility and certification in the surgical specialty.