8 things you didn’t know about oral surgeons Skip to main content

8 things you didn’t know about oral surgeons

You might be familiar with going to the dentist, but what about an oral surgeon?

This post will quickly explain the basic qualifications and procedures of oral surgeons.

Oral and maxillofacial surgery is a specialized field

Becoming a certified oral surgeon requires one or two more years of additional schooling beyond the doctoral degree required for dentistry. These years of advanced training along with ongoing education prepare oral surgeons for numerous complex procedures.

Extracting wisdom teeth is just one thing they do

Many patients’ first visit to an oral surgeon is for wisdom teeth extraction; however, the need to replace a missing teeth, facial trauma, trouble breathing or sleeping are other reasons why someone might need to see an oral surgeon.

Replace missing teeth

Oral surgeons don’t just remove teeth, they replace them using dental implants or a full arch replacement known as All-on-4.

Regenerate bone tissue

If you’ve been missing teeth for a long time, there’s a chance that your jawbone has deteriorated. Using bone grafts and other procedures, an oral surgeon can help rebuild your jawbone to prepare for a dental implant.

A unique field that bridges dentistry and medicine

Maxillofacial specialists are unique in in their knowledge of dentistry, general medicine and surgery. Many oral surgeons are medical doctors in addition to their dental qualifications.

Advanced anesthesiology

Higher levels of sedation are required for maxillofacial surgery compared to standard dental procedures. For this reason, many offices will have a dedicated dental anesthesiologist on staff.

The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

A national organization exists to regulate and oversee safe practice for oral surgeons. In addition, The American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery take responsibility for the establishment of standardized oral and maxillofacial surgery training programs. The board also tests and awards candidates for final certification.

Not all oral specialists are licensed

Be sure to do your due diligence to find a doctor who is a licensed Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon. Every surgeon at Bergen Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in Hackensack, Westwood and Ridgewood, NJ, are board certified.

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