Oral surgery is recommended to treat disease or damage to patients’ oral and facial structures. At Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons of Utah, our oral surgeons specialize in treating issues related to the teeth, mouth, and face.

An oral and maxillofacial surgeon is a specialist with expertise in health matters relating to your face and jaw. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons specialize in treating and repairing muscle, bone, and hard and soft oral tissue.

Oral surgeons complete four years of specialist study following their graduation from general dentistry school, after which they undergo an additional two to four years of residency. An oral surgeon receives at least twice as much education and training as a general dentist. Oral surgeons and general dentists provide many of the same treatments but to different degrees of complexity.

For instance, a general dentist often will extract wisdom teeth unless the teeth are impacted, in which case they refer patients to an oral surgeon. Oral surgeons have the skills to deal with cases that exhibit a higher level of risk or complexity and anticipate possible complications to ensure the best possible results.

Prevention is the best offense in the fight for good oral health. Your general dentist is on the front line of preventative dental care. When you visit your dentist for your regular six-month cleaning and exam, your dentist will identify issues with your teeth and gums that present a health risk or could become problematic in the near future. Oral surgeons are not preventative care providers.

There are several procedures, therapies, and treatments that oral and maxillofacial surgeons provide that general dentists do not, including:

Oral surgery often requires a deeper level of sedation than a general dentist can provide. In addition to nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and local anesthesia, oral surgeons are trained to administer office-based general anesthesia. Office-based and hospital-based general anesthesia is administered through an IV, ensuring patients remain unconscious during surgery. Call our office to schedule your consultation and learn more about sedation options at Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons of Utah.

Dentists and oral surgeons perform teeth extractions, so why go to an oral surgeon? Some teeth are more difficult to extract than others. For instance, your dentist will refer you to an oral surgeon if you have impacted wisdom teeth. An oral surgeon extracts impacted wisdom teeth because it takes greater skill to keep from damaging the surrounding bone structure.

Plenty of general dentists offer dental implants, but oral surgeons have the most hands-on experience and training with dental implants. Their training and experience enable oral surgeons to anticipate, avoid, and correct complications during surgery to ensure optimal results.

Want to learn more about oral surgery at Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons of Utah? Call our office today to schedule a consultation with an oral surgeon.