Surgical Specialties

Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons' knowledge of the anatomy and functioning of the teeth, jaw, and other skull and facial structures helps them diagnose and treat a wide range of head and neck problems.

Oral-maxillofacial surgeons commonly perform tooth extractions in the office, but when an extraction is complicated, they are performed in the hospital. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons also insert metal dental implants to support artificial teeth or dentures when natural teeth have been lost.

Temporomandibular joint disease (TMJ) is diagnosed and treated almost exclusively by oral and maxillofacial surgeons. Orthognathic surgery may also be performed when someone's teeth are malpositioned and not correctable with orthodonture.

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons handle mid-face traumas in CMMC Emergency Department on a rotating basis with ENT and plastic surgeons. Their dental training and knowledge of how teeth fit together is useful in stabilizing and repairing upper jaw fractures.

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons' knowledge of the anatomy and functioning of the teeth, jaw, and other skull and facial structures helps them diagnose and treat a wide range of head and neck problems.

With full admitting privileges at CMMC, oral and maxillofacial surgeons are unique among the Medical Center's surgical staff for their training in dentistry, which they follow with a hospital residency in oral and maxillofacial surgery. General dentists refer many teeth and jaw problems to oral and maxillofacial surgeons.

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons commonly perform tooth extractions in the office, but when an extraction is complicated or the patient has a particular medical problem or preference for general anesthesia, they are performed in the hospital. Other physicians sometimes consult with an oral and maxillofacial surgeon prior to undertaking surgery, dialysis or an organ transfer, requesting that one or more of a patient's teeth be removed to eliminate possible sources of infection.

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons also insert metal dental implants to support artificial teeth or dentures when natural teeth have been lost.

Temporomandibular joint disease (TMJ), which causes pain in the joint joining the lower jaw to the base of the skull, is diagnosed and treated almost exclusively by oral and maxillofacial surgeons. TMJ is a catch-all term for a host of different clinical problems, but in its truest form includes congenital or acquired anatomical and facial muscle problems. It occurs most often in young women.

When conservative treatments fail to improve TMJ, surgery to correct the functioning of the teeth or jaw may be recommended. The surgery is most often performed arthroscopically, using one of the smallest instruments found in the whole arena of endoscopic surgery. Not all jaw pain is caused by TMJ, but neurophysiological research is underway that should prove useful in treating these problems.

Orthognathic surgery may be performed when someone's teeth are malpositioned and not correctable with orthodonture. Oral surgeons cut and reposition the jaw so that the teeth meet and the facial bones work smoothly as a unit. Other surgical reconstructive procedures may be performed on people with craniofacial abnormalities if the problem is disabling from either a functional or aesthetic standpoint.

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons handle mid-face traumas in CMMC Emergency Department on a rotating basis with ENT and plastic surgeons. Their dental training and knowledge of how teeth fit together is useful in stabilizing and repairing upper jaw fractures. They also do biopsies and resect tumors in different parts of the head and neck.

Some members of the oral and maxillofacial surgery staff participate in the Central Maine cleft palate Team, which is also composed of plastic surgeons, speech pathologists, occupational and physical therapists, social workers and other professionals involved in the care of people with cleft palates or craniofacial problems. The team coordinates patient care, usually in stages because of the complexity of these problems. Early intervention and support has proven enormously valuable for parents of infants born with cleft palates and associated disorders.