Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
What is Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery?
"Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is the specialty of dentistry which includes the surgical and adjunctive treatment of diseases, injuries and defects involving both the functional and esthetic aspects of the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial region."
American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
Over the past ten years, the training of contemporary oral and maxillofacial surgeons (OMS) has changed dramatically in response to medical and dental healthcare advancements. The training begins after completion of dental school and may include a hospital based internship as a prerequisite. Completion of an OMS residency requires 4-6 years of hospital-based training focusing solely on the maxillofacial region. It includes extensive training on traditional intra-oral surgery as well as maxillofacial surgical training. It also includes medical training and rotations such as anesthesia, critical care medicine, emergency room, internal medicine, general surgery, pediatric surgery, orthopedic trauma, transplant surgery etc ... OMS residents also receive training in the administration of outpatient anesthesia and are required to administer hundreds of anesthetics during their residency training. Contemporary residencies can be structured to include obtaining a Medical degree; fellowship-training in areas of special interest is also available.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is a surgical specialty which involves both dental and medical surgical treatments, it diagnoses and treats diseases, deformities, injuries and cosmetic defects of the facial and oral region. OMFS are considered the "orthopedic and plastic and reconstructive surgeons of the Maxillofacial region" (the upper jaw, cheek bones, the bones that support & surround the eyes, lower jaw, chin, jaw joints, associated facial structures,and the intra-oral structures including teeth and their supporting bone and gum tissues, salivary glands, and lining tissues of the mouth.)
Many of the procedures are performed in an office ambulatory surgical setting. These procedures include the removal of teeth, management of oral and facial pathology, surgical aspects of dental implants, regeneration of deficient bone and gum tissues around teeth and implants and cosmetic periodontal surgery to enhance gum tissue contours and beautify a patient’s smile. They also include minor cosmetic procedures such as chin and cheek-bone enhancements, minor facial rejuvenation procedures including the use of BOTOX® to reduce facial wrinkles. Sedation and general anesthesia can be used to manage discomfort and anxiety.
The remainder of oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures are performed in the hospital. These procedures include corrective jaw surgery (orthognathic surgery) to treat jaw growth problems which can affect both the function and appearance of the oral and facial area, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) surgery, treatment of complicated facial injuries and fractures, reconstruction of jaw or facial regions resulting from trauma or pathology, management of craniofacial and cleft lip and palate deformities, and treatment of tumors of the jaw and face.
Your oral and maxillofacial surgeon has extensive hospital-based training in the delivery of inpatient and outpatient general anesthesia and intravenous sedation. Our Doctors' staff is trained in assisting with surgery and anesthesia under the guidelines of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) within our state-of-the-art office setting. Patients are continuously monitored during and after surgery. In addition, general anesthesia, IV sedation, nitrous oxide, local anesthetic, and topical anesthetic techniques are available within our facilities.
Contact our Chicago or Hoffman Estates Oral Surgery & Implantology practice today to schedule your appointment.