When you hear the phrase “maxillofacial surgeon” thrown around when talking about oral surgeons, it’s easy to assume that they’re more or less synonymous. The reality is that dental doctors who perform maxillofacial operations perform a wide range of surgeries and practices.
Skilled maxillofacial surgeons bridge the gap between dentistry and traditional medicine by holding both dental and medical degrees.
So, what are some of the things that patients can visit a local maxillofacial dentist for? Let’s take a look.
Maxillofacial Surgeons Perform Facial Reconstructive Surgery
Here’s a big one right off the bat. Maxillofacial surgeons are fully equipped to help patients following facial trauma by performing reconstructive surgery. By acquiring a medical degree in addition to a dental degree, maxillofacial surgeons know all about facial anatomy and structure—and what needs to be done in the event of severe facial trauma.
Reconstructive surgery involves rebuilding parts of the face that have been damaged or outright broken. Patients might need to visit a maxillofacial dental surgeon in the area after things like severe trauma, like car accidents, or in the event of cancer removal where significant parts of the face are cut out.
Knowing the ins and outs of facial anatomy, dentist surgeons who perform maxillofacial operations use specialized methods like bone grafts or soft tissue grafts to restore form and function to the face.
Misaligned Jaws are No Match for Maxillofacial Surgeons
In some cases, a patient’s jaw alignment might be misaligned enough to where braces are basically ineffective. For these extreme cases, a dental surgeon who specializes in maxillofacial surgeries is the answer.
While an orthodontist can move teeth, maxillofacial surgeons perform something called orthognathic surgery. It’s an operation where the bones of the upper or lower jaw—depending on the patient’s needs—are fully moved and repositioned in an attempt to realign them correctly.
A misaligned jaw affects the entire facial structure and how teeth come together. Malocclusion, the medical term for jaw misalignment, causes a number of problems for patients when left untreated:
- Chewing and eating issues: when teeth don’t touch in the way they should, patients with misaligned jaws might avoid eating certain foods that cause more pain than others.
- Speech issues: tongue and lip positions are directly linked with jaw alignment, leading to speech impediments in patients with malocclusion.
- Breathing problems: in extreme cases of misalignment, airways can narrow and cause issues like sleep apnea and snoring.
- Chronic pain: misaligned jaws almost always come with TMJ disorders.
- Headaches: pain from the jaw can easily radiate and cause headaches, neck stiffness, and other pain around the facial area.
- Toothaches: when uneven pressure is placed upon your teeth, it leads to increased pain and sensitivity.
Orthognathic surgery takes between 2-4 hours typically, if the maxillofacial dental surgeon is only working on one jaw. A maxillofacial surgeon with years of experience under their belt will likely be able to work their magic closer to the lower end of that estimate. Combined with pre and post-surgical orthodontics with a local maxillofacial surgeon, the entire process takes between 1-3 years.
Maxillofacial Surgeons Complete Your Standard Oral Surgeries Too
That maxillofacial surgeon who’s down the road from you is fully capable of performing more routine oral surgeries too. Thankfully, there’s not an influx of patients presenting with facial trauma, so dental surgeons who specialize in maxillofacial operations dabble in things like wisdom teeth removal and more.
Maxillofacial surgeons also work on the following oral surgeries:
- Wisdom teeth extraction
- Dental implant installation
- Bone graft procedures
Dr. Scott Puckett, Licensed Maxillofacial Surgeon
Our own Dr. Puckett is a licensed maxillofacial surgeon in the greater Cincinnati area, and he’s been in practice for well over two decades now. With plenty of continued education and certifications past his formal education, Dr. Puckett is well-equipped to handle just about nearly any kind of case.
His patients often describe him as compassionate and caring. In fact, he’s part of the active staff at Clinton Memorial Hospital as the only maxillofacial surgeon who takes facial trauma calls.
If you’re in need of a highly-skilled maxillofacial dental doctor around Cincinnati, we’re the practice for you. Schedule an appointment or give us a call to set something up.
