Oral surgery involves diagnosing and treating oral conditions that require surgical intervention. These may include:
Tooth extraction
There are a number of reasons why a tooth may need to be removed including:
- Extensive decay
- A baby tooth that has failed to fall out
- An impacted wisdom tooth
- A broken tooth
- Making more space for orthodontic treatment
Dental implants
This involves placing implants in the jawbone to which replacement teeth are later fitted. Dental implants are a long lasting solution to missing teeth and can also provide increased stability to a new or existing denture.
Jaw correction
This type of surgery is performed by oral and maxillofacial surgeons and common reasons for carrying it out include:
- Temporomandibular joint pain (TMJ)
- Trauma to the jaw
- Misaligned bite
- Clenching or grinding of the teeth
- Difficulty chewing or eating
- Incorrect jaw position
Detection and treatment of disease
During regular check-ups, dentists will look for signs of oral cancer and if necessary a surgical biopsy may be undertaken. If cancer is detected, surgery is also used as a treatment method.
