An oral and maxillofacial surgeon is a regional specialist surgeon treating the anatomical area of the mouth, jaws, face, skull, as well as associated structures.
Oral & maxillofacial surgeons are usually initially qualified in dentistry and have undergone further surgical training. Some OMS residencies integrate a medical education as well & an appropriate degree medicine (MBBS or MD or equivalent) is earned, although in the United States there is legally no difference in what a dual degree OMFS can do compared to someone who earned a four year certificate. Oral & maxillofacial surgery is universally recognized as a one of the nine specialties of dentistry. However also in the UK and many other countries OMFS is a medical specialty as well culminating in the FRCS (Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons). Regardless, all oral & maxillofacial surgeons must obtain a degree in dentistry (BDS, BDent, DDS, or DMD or equivalent) before being allowed to begin residency training in oral and maxillofacial surgery.
They also may choose to undergo further training in a 1 or 2 year fellowship to expand the scope of practice to areas such as:
- Head and neck cancer - microvascular reconstruction
- Cosmetic facial surgery
- Craniofacial surgery/Pediatric Maxillofacial surgery
- Cranio-maxillofacial trauma
The popularity of oral and maxillofacial surgery as a career for persons whose first degree was medicine, not dentistry, seems to be increasing. Integrated programs are becoming more available to medical graduates allowing them to complete the dental degree requirement in about 3 years in order for them to advance to subsequently complete Oral and Maxillofacial surgical training.
[edit] Surgical procedures
Treatments may be performed on the mouth, jaws, neck, face, skull, and include:
- Dentoalveolar surgery (surgery to remove impacted teeth, difficult tooth extractions, extractions on medically compromised patients, bone grafting or preprosthetic surgery to provide better anatomy for the placement of dentures or other dental prostheses)
- Diagnosis and treatment of benign pathology of the region (cysts, tumors etc.)
- Diagnosis and treatment (ablative and reconstructive surgery) of malignant pathology of the region (oral & head and neck cancer)
- Diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous malignancy (skin cancer)
- Diagnosis and treatment of congenital craniofacial malformations such as cleft lip and palate and cranial vault malformations such as craniosynostosis, (craniofacial surgery)
- Diagnosis and treatment of chronic facial pain disorders
- Diagnosis and treatment of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders
- Diagnosis and treatment of dysgnathia (incorrect bite), and orthognathic (literally "straight bite") reconstructive surgery, orthognathic surgery, Maxillomandibular advancement
- Diagnosis and treatment of soft and hard tissue trauma of the oral and maxillofacial region (jaw fractures, cheek bone fractures, nasal fractures, skull fractures and eye socket fractures.
- Splint and surgical treatment of sleep apnea, Maxillomandibular advancement (in conjunction with sleep labs or physicians)
- Surgery to insert osseointegrated (bone fused) dental implants or Maxillofacial implants for attaching Craniofacial prosthesis.
- Cosmetic surgery limited to the head and neck (Rhytidectomy/facelift, Blepharoplasty, Otoplasty, Rhinoplasty, Genioplasty, etc.)
A well known example of a facial trauma case was the reconstruction of Trevor Rees-Jones's face, which was literally flattened by the impact of the car crash that killed Diana, Princess of Wales. Dr Luc Chikhani rebuilt the shattered facial bones, working from photographs, and implanting hundreds of titanium screws and brackets.
In November 2005 Isabelle Dinoire became the first person in the world to receive a face transplant.[2] The procedure was completed by Dr Bernard Devauchelle a French oral and maxillofacial surgeon at Amiens University Hospital.
Article from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oral_and_maxillofacial_surgery
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