When going to a maxillofacial surgeon?
Written by: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 treats in five large groups:
1. Oral Surgery and Implantology: we include any surgical act performed in the mouth and its annexes, such as the minor and major salivary glands. Highlights include simple and complex extractions such as wisdom teeth , included canines or supernumerary teeth. An important aspect is the placement of dental implants and all the surgery of bone grafts or biomaterials when there is bone deficit.
2. Dentofacial deformities: in collaboration with orthodontists we treat problems of occlusion and aesthetic issues that are due not only to alterations of the teeth but to maxillomandibular bone problems that require corrective surgery of the bony bases, it is called orthognathic surgery .
3. T umores head and neck: benign tumors and especially malignant are treated sections in large centers maxillofacial oncology. This includes surgery to remove the tumor and its possible extension to the neck, as well as reconstructive surgery for facial defects using highly complex microsurgical flaps.
4. Facial bone fractures: 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 great traumatisms that we call panfacials and that affect almost all the bones of the face.
5. Other treatments, such as problems of temporomandibular joint dysfunction or childhood surgery malformations comprise the craniofacial and cleft lip and palate, among others.