What Is Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery? Procedures, Conditions and Recovery

Overview

Oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) is the surgical specialty of dentistry and medicine that deals with diseases, injuries, and defects of the mouth, jaws, face, and skull. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons complete a four-to-six year postgraduate hospital-based surgical residency after dental school, and many hold dual dental and medical degrees. They are qualified to administer all forms of anaesthesia, including general anaesthesia.

OMS bridges dentistry and medicine, treating a wide spectrum of conditions from wisdom tooth removal to facial reconstruction. Patients are often referred to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon by their dentist, orthodontist, or medical physician.

What Conditions Does Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Treat?

Wisdom Tooth Removal

Wisdom teeth are the last permanent teeth to develop, typically emerging between the ages of 17 and 25. Many people do not have sufficient room in their jaw to accommodate these teeth, causing them to become impacted. Impacted wisdom teeth can cause pain, infection, cysts, damage to adjacent teeth, and crowding. Surgical extraction is performed under local anaesthesia, sedation, or general anaesthesia depending on the complexity of the case.

Corrective Jaw Surgery

Orthognathic surgery corrects skeletal discrepancies in the jaws that cannot be addressed by orthodontics alone. Conditions treated include a significantly protruding or receding jaw, facial asymmetry, chronic jaw pain from temporomandibular joint dysfunction, and severe bite problems. Surgery is usually performed in combination with orthodontic treatment and carried out under general anaesthesia.

Facial Trauma

OMS specialists treat fractures of the facial bones, including the jaws, cheekbones, and eye sockets, as well as soft tissue injuries to the face, mouth, and neck. Patients may be referred following road traffic accidents, sports injuries, or interpersonal violence.

Oral Pathology and Biopsy

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons diagnose and treat abnormal tissue in the mouth and jaw, including cysts, benign tumours, and oral cancer. Biopsy of suspicious lesions is a core part of OMS practice.

Dental Implant Placement

Complex implant cases, including those requiring bone grafting, sinus lifts, or full arch reconstruction such as All-on-4, are often managed by oral and maxillofacial surgeons. They are trained to assess bone volume, perform guided bone regeneration procedures, and manage surgical complications.

What to Expect Before and After Oral Surgery

Your surgeon will review your medical history, current medications, and any allergies before planning surgery. Depending on the procedure, pre-operative tests such as blood work, X-rays, or CBCT scans may be required. Recovery varies by procedure. Wisdom tooth removal typically involves swelling, bruising, and discomfort for five to seven days. More complex surgeries such as orthognathic correction require several weeks of dietary modification and activity restriction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is an oral surgeon the same as a dentist?

An oral and maxillofacial surgeon is a dentist with extensive additional surgical training, typically four to six years of hospital-based residency. Many also hold a medical degree. While a general dentist performs routine dental care, an oral surgeon handles complex surgical procedures involving the teeth, jaws, face, and neck.

Is wisdom tooth removal always necessary?

Not always. Some wisdom teeth erupt fully and cause no problems. However, impacted wisdom teeth that are causing pain, infection, crowding, or cyst formation should be removed. Your dentist or oral surgeon will recommend removal based on clinical examination and X-rays.

How long is recovery after jaw surgery?

Full recovery from orthognathic surgery typically takes six to twelve weeks. Patients are usually able to return to desk work within two to three weeks. A liquid and soft food diet is required for four to six weeks.