Oral surgeons typically collaborate with other types of medical professionals, like general dentists, orthodontists, and family physicians. Oftentimes, these professionals refer more complex cases out to them because of their specific training and understanding of how the facial structure, mouth, and jawbone work. Read on to learn what problems oral surgeons can treat and the training and educational requirements they need to enter their profession.
What Training is Required to Become an Oral Surgeon?
Oral surgeons, also called oral and maxillofacial surgeons, are educated to solely operate on the face, mouth, and jaw. They can complete cosmetic and functional surgeries as well as treat emergencies. After achieving their bachelor’s degree, they go on to either obtain their Doctor of Medical Dentistry (DMD) or Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree, which will allow them to apply for four-year surgical, hospital-based residency programs.
After they’ve completed their residency, where they focus on gaining hands-on and educational skills in general surgery, anesthesiology, internal medicine, and other specialty fields, they’ll be able to practice on their own.
What Problems Do Oral Surgeons Treat?
Oral surgery may sound like a niche topic, but the head, mouth, and jaw are all incredibly complex areas of the body, and a lot of issues could go wrong with them. This means that oral surgeons need to be experts at diagnosing and treating a wide range of issues. They also provide other functional procedures to help restore the function of facial structures as well as cosmetic services, including:
- Extracting Impacted Wisdom Teeth: If you have impacted wisdom teeth, your general dentist will likely refer you to an oral surgeon, as they’ll need to access the inner workings of your mouth to remove them from below the gumline.
- Bone Grafting & Dental Implant Placement: Bone grafting is often recommended if you’ve been missing teeth for some time and have experienced jawbone erosion. This will help rebuild the structure, making it more suitable for the oral surgeon to place dental implants that can help restore your smile. In many cases, dentists will refer patients to oral surgeons for both parts of this process to ensure optimal results.
- TMJ Therapy: Jaw pain, chronic headaches, and teeth grinding are all common, life-affecting symptoms of TMJ disorder. If your condition is severe, you may get referred to an oral surgeon for surgery that involves your upper or lower jaw or chin.
- Full Mouth Reconstructions: Dental implants, impacted wisdom teeth, preparatory treatments like bone grafting and sinus lifts—if you need to restore the complete health of your smile, a full mouth reconstruction from your oral surgeon can address all of these structural concerns at once.
- Cosmetic Facial Treatments & Surgeries: Oral surgeons also offer a wide range of cosmetic services, ranging from completely non-invasive and fast-acting BOTOX injections to minimize wrinkles to more in-depth and extensive face lifts.
Due to their niche expertise in facial anatomy and how each bone and muscle work together to help you eat, speak, and do basic daily tasks with ease, oral surgeons are masters at their craft. They’re able to treat a variety of problems that can impact your day-to-day life, ranging from low self-esteem to chronic jaw pain and tooth loss, making them an excellent type of professional to consult on your journey towards a healthier, better you!
About the Practice
At Northern Virginia Oral, Maxillofacial & Implant Surgery, our team is comprised of four board-certified oral surgeons, which means they’ve taken their education one step further than many other professionals and have proven their expertise by completing a thorough written and verbal examination. With collective decades of experience, our team offers comprehensive oral surgery services, including dental implant placement, preparatory bone grafts and sinus lifts, and much more. For questions or to schedule a consultation, visit our website or call 703-425-5010.