Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are medical specialists in the treatment of different diseases and problems, not only of the oral cavity but also of the face, head and neck. We can group the problems that a maxillofacial surgeon treats into five main groups:
- Oral Surgery and Implantology: we include any surgical act performed in the mouth and its appendages such as minor and major salivary glands. We highlight simple and complex extractions such as wisdom teeth, canines included or supernumerary teeth. An important aspect is the placement of dental implants and all bone graft surgery or biomaterials when there is bone deficit.
- Dentofacial deformities: in collaboration with orthodontists we treat occlusion problems and aesthetic issues that are due not only to alterations of the teeth but also to maxillomandibular bone problems that require corrective surgery of the bone bases, this is called orthognathic surgery.
- Head and neck tumors: benign tumors and, above all, malignant tumors are treated by the maxillofacial oncology sections in large centers. This includes surgery to remove the tumor and its possible extension to the neck, as well as reconstructive surgery of facial defects by means of highly complex microsurgical flaps.
- Fractures of the facial bones: maxillofacial traumatology treats any fracture of the facial bones including isolated fractures of the orbital rims, the floor of the orbit, the cheekbone, maxilla and mandible or the large traumas that we call panfacial and that affect almost all the bones of the face.
- Other treatments: such as Temporomandibular Joint dysfunction problems or pediatric malformation surgery which would include craniofacial malformations and cleft lip and palate, among others.