Common oral surgery procedures include:
- Tooth removal: Teeth may need to be removed for a variety of reasons including crowding and impaction but most commonly if they are decayed or broken beyond restoration.
- Removal of impacted teeth: Wisdom teeth are very commonly removed because many jaws are not large enough to accommodate a full complement of 32 teeth. It is often the last one to erupt which gets stuck, causing pain and infection. It is also possible for other teeth to become impacted and they could even grow cysts around them, requiring removal.
- Surgical endodontics: Root canal treatment is usually done through the tooth, but there may be times that a dentist can't get through the tooth to access the infection at the tip of the root. This would require an oral surgeon to treat the area surgically by going through the gum.
- Surgical orthodontics: Sometimes an orthodontist would need the input of an oral surgeon to expose impacted teeth or to remove teeth to create space when there is crowding.
- Surgical orthodontics: Sometimes dentures can fit uncomfortably if a jaw has irregularities. To help dentures fit more comfortably, the oral surgeon can correct these irregularities with minor recontouring surgery.
- Dental implants: Dental implants are tooth root substitutes placed in the jawbone. Artificial teeth are then attached to the substitute root, which is actually a titanium rod. Dental implants could be an option to replace one tooth, several teeth, or even all teeth.
- Bone grafting: If there is not enough bone to put implants in, the jaw bone can be augmented using a variety of techniques which may include using synthetic bone, or grafting bone from one area of the mouth to the other. Sometimes the sinuses may be lifted upwards to create more space for an implant in the upper jaw.
- Unequal jaw growth: If the upper or lower jaw does not grow properly, it may result in an asymmetric facial appearance and could cause difficulty eating, breathing, talking or swallowing. In extreme cases, an oral surgeon can create a jaw structure that is more balanced and functional.
- Facial infections: An infection in the face, neck or jaws may require an oral surgeon to drain the infected area. The tooth in question can then be treated.
- Disorders of the oral mucosa: Ulcers, white patches and various lumps and bumps can appear in the cheek, tongue and gums. Rarely, they could be cancerous but usually they are benign. An oral surgeon must examine the area. Sometimes this involves taking a small sample of tissue and sending it to laboratory for a pathologist to confirm the diagnosis.
- Chronic facial pain: This can occur for a number of reasons including disorders that affect how the nerves in the face work. Most commonly it may be as a result of grinding of the teeth. An oral surgeon would treat this with a combination of medicines, physiotherapy and appliances to wear to prevent the grinding habit.
- Intravenous sedation: If a patient is anxious or if surgery is too advanced for the patient to tolerate under local anesthesia alone, then sedation can be administered through a small piece of plastic in the arm. This makes the patient feel very comfortable and unaware of the procedure. It means the risks of general anesthesia are avoided.
- Salivary stones: In much the same way as patients may get gall stones or kidney stones, salivary gland stones may also occur, causing blockage of the gland and pain when salivating. If the stone does not dislodge, then it may require removal by an oral surgeon.