Oral and maxillofacial surgery is a broad term to describe a variety of surgical procedures found within the head and neck area.
Wisdom teeth (and other tooth extractions)
Wisdom teeth are the last set of teeth to develop. Sometimes they emerge from the gum line, and the jaw is large enough to allow room for them, but more often than not, they fail to emerge and become impacted. When a wisdom tooth is impacted, it may need to be removed. Impacted wisdom teeth that are partially or fully erupted tend to be quite difficult to clean and are susceptible to tooth decay, recurring infections and even gum disease. It is recommended that wisdom teeth be removed by the time the patient is a young adult in order to prevent future problems and to ensure optimal healing.
Implants
Dental implants are long-term replacements for missing teeth that are surgically placed in the jawbone. Composed of titanium metal that fuses with the jawbone through a process called osseointegration, dental implants never slip and never decay. Because dental implants fuse with the jawbone, bone loss is generally not a problem.
