Oral and maxillofacial surgery is a great career choice for those who love to help people. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are experts in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases associated with the mouth, jaw, face, and neck. They use their expertise to help patients achieve optimal oral health in order to improve their quality of life.
Since this is a very specialized field of medicine, you will need to complete an additional four years of training after medical school before you can be certified as an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. During your training, you will learn how to diagnose and treat injuries that affect these areas such as fractures or infections. You will also learn about reconstructive surgery techniques if there has been damage done by trauma or disease.
Read on to learn more about Is Oral And Maxillofacial Surgery A Good Career
Is Oral And Maxillofacial Surgery A Good Career
An oral and maxillofacial surgeon is someone who treats dental and medical problems involving the oral cavity and the maxillofacial area. The maxillofacial area of the body includes the bones of the forehead, face, cheekbones and the soft tissues.
The field of oral and maxillofacial surgery is a highly specialized area of dentistry. Oral surgeons treat problems that affect the mouth, jaw, face, teeth and gums. They also provide reconstructive surgery for birth defects and injuries to the mouth, jaws and face.
Oral surgeons are responsible for diagnosing and treating problems with the jaw joint, facial bones, salivary glands, gums, skin and soft tissues in the oral and maxillofacial region. In addition to performing surgical procedures on the mouth and facial regions, they may also perform some procedures on other parts of the body. For example, if someone has an infection or tumor on one side of their face that affects both eyesight and hearing, an oral surgeon might perform a surgical procedure that removes part of their ear to help alleviate this problem.
A career as an oral surgeon can be very rewarding but it’s important that you understand what you’re getting into before deciding whether this career path is right for you.
Treatment often involves performing surgery and related procedures to treat diseases, defects, or injuries, and to improve function or appearance.
What does an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon do?
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons often meet with patients who are referred from their general dentist or primary care doctor after a diagnosis has been made.
Most think of oral and maxillofacial surgery as a dental specialty, but the type of work needed is usually much more intricate and complex than what a general dentist does. An oral and maxillofacial surgeon is really a combination of both a dentist and a medical doctor – many oral and maxillofacial surgeons have degrees in both dentistry and medicine.
There are several dental and medical conditions that may require surgery, such as:
- removal of impacted, damaged, and non-restorable teeth
- reconstructive surgery after removing tumours from the face, neck, jaw, or mouth
- temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ)
- infections of the oral cavity, salivary glands, jaws, and neck
- oral mucosa, such as mouth ulcers
- jaw surgery to realign the jaws (orthognathic surgery)
- dental implants, and the regeneration of deficient bone and gum tissues
- structural abnormalities involving the mouth, neck or face
- congenital defects (cleft lip and palate and jaw growth problems)
- oral cancer (removal of tissue or tumours for biopsy)
- facial injuries including facial lacerations, intra-oral lacerations, and fractured facial bones
- cosmetic dental procedures (such as chin and cheekbone enhancements)
A facial and oral abnormality could not only interfere with someone’s ability to function normally, it can affect every part of their life. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons have the skills necessary to restore a person’s function and appearance, but foremost, a person’s ability to live normally.
Are you suited to be an oral and maxillofacial surgeon?
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons have distinct personalities. They tend to be social individuals, which means they’re kind, generous, cooperative, patient, caring, helpful, empathetic, tactful, and friendly. They excel at socializing, helping others, and teaching. Some of them are also realistic, meaning they’re independent, stable, persistent, genuine, practical, and thrifty.
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What is the workplace of an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon like?
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons work for hospitals, large medical centres and dental practices. Advancement opportunities may include working as a professor at a dental school or supervising residents in training. In addition to working for a dental practice or healthcare facility, many oral and maxillofacial surgeons open up their own practices.
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons often work very long hours. Surgery within the oral cavity and maxillofacial area is often very intricate and complex. Oral surgeons may also need to be on call for emergencies that require immediate treatment.