Who is an oral surgeon?
Oral surgeons can perform surgical procedures on the teeth, jaws, gums, and other oral and facial structures. Maxillofacial surgeons and periodontists are both oral surgeons. A maxillofacial surgeon performs mouth, jaw, and face surgery. A periodontist, often known as a gum specialist, focuses on operating on the gums and supporting bones for your teeth.
Oral surgery is required to treat gum disease, extensive tooth decay, missing teeth, impacted teeth, and badly broken teeth. Oral surgery is also necessary for oral cancer, bone loss in the jaw, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, sleep apnea, and non-cancerous lumps or bumps.
What kind of education and training does an oral surgeon receive?
Oral surgeons are dentists with additional education and training in surgical procedures. Students who wish to become oral surgeons must first complete graduation with subjects such as biology, chemistry, and math. After this, they must enroll in a dental school, where they study and train for four years. Dental schools are on par with medical schools in terms of education standards.
During the first two years in dental school, students learn theory in classrooms and laboratories. The following two years involve practical training in diagnosing and treating oral diseases and conditions in patients. This happens in medical settings, such as clinics and hospitals, under the guidance of experienced dentists and dental specialists. On completion of dental school, students earn a dental degree.
After dental school, one must complete a four- to six-year oral surgery residency to become an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. Further, oral surgeons can become board-certified by clearing an American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery examination.
Maxillofacial surgeons who wish to specialize further must complete a two-year fellowship. They can focus on subspecialties such as head and neck cancer, cosmetic facial surgery, craniomaxillofacial trauma, craniofacial surgery, and pediatrics.
Oral surgeons vs. dentists
Oral surgeons and dentists are distinct in terms of education, qualifications, and scope of practice. General dentists focus on providing primary dental care to their patients, such as routine dental exams, cleanings, and other preventive and restorative procedures. They also educate their patients to maintain oral health by adopting good dental habits. These include brushing, flossing, and other practices to prevent cavities and gum diseases.
Both general dentists and oral surgeons attend the same four years of dental school to obtain their dental degree. However, oral surgeons spend four to six more years of education than general dentists. They receive training through hospital residencies that treat issues concerning the hard and soft tissues in the jaw, mouth, and face. They also specialize in emergency medicine, plastic surgery, internal medicine, anesthesiology, and otolaryngology.
Although both can diagnose and treat various dental problems, it is better to consult an oral surgeon near you for specific procedures. Dentists may be able to perform the same procedures, but oral surgeons have far more training and expertise in complex treatment protocols. For example, dentists and oral surgeons can perform wisdom teeth removal. However, most patients have exceptional cases, such as impacted wisdom teeth or other conditions that make the procedure difficult. Therefore, oral surgeons are a better choice as they have relevant experience from their hospital residencies.
Additionally, oral surgeons can offer better pain management options due to their general anesthesia and IV sedation training. Hence, they can help ensure the treatment goes smoothly without pain and discomfort. General dentists can only provide local anesthesia during their procedures as they cannot provide IV sedation.
What should one keep in mind when going for oral surgery?
Before oral surgery, the healthcare provider will conduct a comprehensive evaluation to assess various aspects of your oral health. This evaluation encompasses an examination of your teeth, gums, jaw joints, and the surrounding structures. Additionally, they will take dental X-rays and scans to provide a clear view of essential oral elements like tooth roots, the jawbone, nerves, and other critical landmarks. With this information, your healthcare provider will devise an individualized treatment plan for your needs.
During the oral surgery itself, several factors come into play. Sometimes, as an outpatient procedure, an oral surgeon will operate on patients in a dentist's office. Your surgeon may provide you with nitrous oxide, oral medicine, or intravenous moderate or deep sedation, depending on how comfortable you are. Alternatively, they conduct more complex oral surgeries in a hospital under general anesthesia.
The duration of your oral surgery procedure varies and is contingent on several factors. It hinges on the type of oral surgery you're undergoing, the number of teeth involved, and whether you opt for sedation. Typically, a single-tooth extraction takes about 30 minutes, while more intricate procedures like corrective jaw surgery demand a minimum of two to three hours.
Following oral surgery, it is imperative to adhere to the detailed post-operative instructions provided to you. Compliance with these guidelines is crucial to minimizing complication risks such as bleeding and infection.
Regarding insurance coverage, most oral surgery procedures fall under dental benefits. However, certain situations may warrant medical insurance coverage. For instance, if you require oral surgery in a hospital setting due to an accident, it is most likely covered under your medical insurance. Coverage details can vary, so consulting with your healthcare provider for specific information is advisable. While medical insurance may cover select oral surgery procedures, it does not encompass all.
What are the various procedures performed by oral surgeons?
Oral surgical procedures performed by oral or maxillofacial surgeons include corrective jaw surgery, teeth extractions, dental bone grafts, gum grafts, and dental implants. Oral surgeons can perform cleft lip and palate repair and sleep apnea surgery. Here are a few other procedures for which you may have to visit an oral surgeon near you:
- Dental implants involve removing damaged teeth and replacing them with synthetic options. They are permanent replacements and may have cosmetic or health benefits.
- Reconstructive or reparative surgery involves readjusting joints, reconstructing broken sockets, or shaving bones. Oral surgeons can repair damaged or misaligned teeth.
- Tooth extraction involves removing teeth to treat severe tooth decay, wisdom teeth complications, gum disease, or dental trauma. One may also require tooth extractions for dentures or other prosthetic devices. This surgery can reduce the risk of bone loss, cavities, or other issues.
- Sleep apnea surgery is required to cure obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is brought on by tissues at the back of the throat blocking the airway. One requires surgery only in severe cases.
- A dental bone graft can restore volume and density in the jawbone. Such grafts treat bone loss in the jaw, which is generally caused by missing teeth or gum disease.
- Periodontal surgery can treat moderate or severe periodontitis. The surgeon removes plaque and bacteria from the teeth roots. The tissue along the gum line is cut open and then sutured into place after the procedure.
- Cleft lip and palate repair are needed when a cleft lip has an opening in the upper lip or a cleft palate has an opening in the mouth's roof.
- Gum grafts are necessary when there is gum recession due to periodontitis. During this surgery, tissue from the roof of the mouth, or donor tissue, is used to replace lost tissue.
- Corrective jaw surgery repairs skeletal abnormalities in the jaw bones. It corrects misalignment or facial imbalances, improves chewing function, or reduces pain caused by TMJ dysfunction.
Why should one visit an oral surgeon?
A patient may be referred to an oral or maxillofacial surgeon by their dentist. An oral surgeon may also be the emergency doctor if a patient has a face or mouth injury. In case of severe facial injuries, these specialists can perform reconstructive surgery. They can repair teeth, cheekbones, and broken jaws. This is a delicate surgery that requires expertise to ensure no nerve damage.
What benefits and risks does oral and maxillofacial surgery have?
Oral and maxillofacial surgery corrects oral issues that non-surgical treatments cannot. Some benefits of oral surgery include:
- Pain relief: Oral surgery is often done to correct discomfort and pain-causing dental issues like broken teeth, extensive decay, and sore bleeding gums. Maxillofacial surgery corrects misaligned jaws or teeth, which often cause symptoms like TMJ related facial pain, headaches, and toothaches.
- Treatment for complex head and neck cancers: Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are also trained to remove cancers in delicate areas of the mouth, jaw, skull base, neck, and face. They are trained in many minimally invasive procedures and robotic techniques that allow for the safe and effective removal of tumors while preserving the surrounding nerves and tissues, as well as swallowing, chewing, and speaking functions.
- Improved function: Oral and maxillofacial surgery can improve jaw and facial conditions that may be hindering biting, chewing, and speaking. For example, a cleft lip or palate is a congenital condition that causes the lip and mouth to split or separate in the womb. This may lead to problems with hearing and speech as well as dental issues. A cleft lip and palate repair, often done by a maxillofacial surgeon, can close the gap in a child's lip and improve the shape and appearance of the lips. The surgery also results in better eating, drinking, chewing, breathing, and hearing.
- Better overall health: An individual's overall health is directly linked to their oral health. When used in combination with routine dental examinations and checkups, oral surgery can effectively treat several tooth infections and oral diseases, leading to better oral health and, therefore, better overall well-being.
- Improvement in the appearance of your smile: The way your teeth and smile look can have a significant impact on your mental health. While a healthy and attractive smile may boost self-confidence and self-esteem, missing, misaligned, and stained or discolored teeth can lead to embarrassment, insecurity, or self-consciousness. This can impact a person's social interactions and overall quality of life. Maxillofacial surgery can also address cosmetic concerns like crowded teeth or specific facial abnormalities. Conversely, individuals who have anxiety or depression may neglect routine dental care, like brushing their teeth twice every day, thereby impacting the overall health of their teeth and their mouth.
Much like any other surgery, oral and maxillofacial procedures may also have certain risks associated with them. However, your oral surgeon will discuss these risks before your procedure and will minimize the possibility of these occurring during and after surgery. Possible risks and complications include:
- Dry sockets
- Numbness
- Infections
- Excessive bleeding
- Injury to neighboring teeth
- Damage to the nerves
- Tooth fragments left behind
- A hole in the sinus membrane, also called sinus perforation
- Root fragment, a rare complication that occurs when a piece of tooth root breaks and stays in its socket
How can you find the best oral surgeons near you in New York, NY?
Finding a reputable oral surgeon in New York can take time and effort. However, with its rigorously maintained directory of the top professionals, Zocdoc is here to help you! With Zocdoc, you can easily book a consultation with an oral surgeon in New York with just a few clicks.
You can schedule a video consultation or in-person appointment on the Zocdoc website. Just look for the purple button on the profiles of providers who allow online meetings.
Simply input your ailments or symptoms, location, the day you want to see the oral surgeon and your insurance plan on the website. You can also update your Zocdoc account's insurance details to refine the search results further and find providers within your insurance network. Alternatively, you can take a picture of your insurance card and upload it if you're searching from a smartphone or tablet. You will then get a list of the top oral surgeons in your area. Check out Zocdoc's insurance FAQs to learn more. Further, you can refine your search based on gender, hospital affiliation, and spoken languages.
Zocdoc maintains detailed profiles for each healthcare professional. Each profile includes a schedule of their availability times. You can arrange appointments before 10 a.m., after 5 p.m., the same day, or even on the weekend, according to the oral surgeon's availability. Each medical professional's profile details their training, qualifications, accolades, licensing, and genuine and verified reviews and ratings by past patients. You can also check if they accept new patients and treat children.
Appointment scheduling with Zocdoc is simple, free, and secure.
Statistics on oral cancers in New York
Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cancers of the base of the tongue (1.8%), anterior tongue (1.8%), gum (1.9%), tonsil (2.4%), oropharynx (1.9%), and other oral cavity and pharynx (3.4%) all saw increases in incidence rates between 2007 and 2016 in the U.S. The rates of malignancies of the soft palate and uvula (-3.7%), hard palate (-0.9%), mouth's floor (-3.1%), lips (-2.7%), hypopharynx (-2.4%), and nasopharynx (-1.3%) decreased, but those of the cheek and other salivary glands remained stable between 2007-2016.
In the state of New York, the incidence of oral cancer was the highest in the 75-79 age group (50.2) between 2015-2019, followed by the 80-84 age group (48.8). The mortality rate was the highest in those above the age of 85 (55.8), followed by the 60-64 years group (49.4).
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 5,330 oral and maxillofacial surgeons in the United States in May 2021.
Sources
The American College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
WebMD[1]
WebMD[2]
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
New York State Department of Health
University Oral Surgery Center
penndentalmedicine.org
Cleveland Clinic[1]
Cleveland Clinic[2]
Cleveland Clinic[3]
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
