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Which mouth and jaw problems may require oral and maxillofacial surgery?

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Dentistry — dentistry The practice of dentistry involves preventing, diagnosing, and treating oral disease, as well as correcting deformities of the jaws, teeth, and oral cavity.

Oral and maxillofacial surgery is a dental specialty focused on diagnosing and surgically treating diseases, injuries, and defects of the mouth, jaw, and associated structures.

Common conditions and procedures addressed by oral surgeons include:

Tooth Extraction: The most frequently performed oral surgery procedure.1
Pathological Conditions: Treatment for cysts (liquid- or semisolid-filled sacs), tumors, lesions, and infections of the mouth and jaw.1
Congenital Deformities: Surgical correction of cleft lip and cleft palate, which may involve multiple procedures such as bone grafting for the gum ridge or corrective surgery for the nose and upper jaw during the teenage years.12
Trauma: Repair of jaw and facial injuries.1
Restorative Needs: Placement of dental implants.1

Because the oral region is complex—limited by the lips and cheeks, influenced by the movement of the tongue and lower jaw, and constantly exposed to saliva and microorganisms—these procedures require specialized surgical expertise.1