What is an Oral Surgeon?

An Oral Surgeon is a Specialist surgeon who has completed a five-year dental degree and then completes a dental hospital-based doctorate program for an additional 3 years. During this time, oral surgeons gain valuable hands-on experience in a surgical setting, training in the administration of sedation, and more.

 

This recognised speciality of dentistry involves hard and soft tissue surgery

of the mouth and jaws.

 

Dentists commonly refer patients to an oral surgeon when a procedure falls outside of their typical scope of work. For example, complex tooth extractions, wisdom teeth removal, the placement of dental implants, and oral biopsies are all procedures that require the skill and experience of an oral surgeon.

Depending on the complexity of the case, surgery can be carried out under

local anaesthesia with or without sedation.

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Common surgical procedures carried out by an Oral Surgeon:

• Tooth extractions

• Extraction of wisdom teeth

• Exposures or removal of canine teeth for orthodontic treatment

• Pre-prosthetic surgery

• Placement of dental implants

• Bone grafting

• Removal of cysts

• Biopsies of tissue in the mouth.

• Treatment for TMJ disorders

• Oral pathology/ Oral medicine