The dentistry specialty of oral and maxillofacial surgery focuses on the surgical diagnosis and correction of conditions affecting the human mouth, jaw, and related structures; dentist who specializes in the surgical treatment of injuries, diseases, and abnormalities of the oral and maxillofacial regions. Extraction of teeth during oral surgery is the most frequent treatment. Treatment of tumors, lesions, and infections of the mouth and jaw are additional dental issues that call for the expertise of an oral surgeon.
The insertion of implants, cleft palate, cleft lip, and injuries to the jaw and face are some of the more complicated issues that the oral surgeon treats. Dentists refer patients to address these problems with an oral surgeon. Because of the following factors, oral surgery presents unique challenges: the lips and cheeks restrict access to the jaw and palate; the tongue and lower jaw move; the oral cavity opens into the pharynx (the passageway for food and air); and the oral region is constantly flooded with saliva and is home to a variety of microorganisms found in the human body.
