Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery; a term that may seem complex is simply a surgery performed to correct or cure trauma or deformities on the jaw, mouth, face or the neck.
Now, to simplify the terminology, ‘oral’ relates to mouth and ‘maxillofacial’ means the region of face and jaw. Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery has been performed since a few centuries ago and the first one dates back to 1849. Pioneer surgeons in this field paved way for the methods that we extensively use today for oral, jaw and facial trauma correction.
Here’s a probe into Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and the things to know.
To Whom Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is Beneficial?
Oral & Maxillofacial surgery can be a boon for many who suffer from deformities in their mouth, jaw, face or neck. These deformities might have occurred due to accidents, birth defects or gradually developed over the course of one’s life. This surgery has a rich history in successfully correcting defects and have been used by surgeons to treat both civilians and troops during Civil War,both the World Wars, Vietnam War etc. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery can also be viewed as a cosmetic treatment and is helpful in making cosmetic corrections to the face, jaw or mouth.
Who Performs Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery?
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is rooted in dentistry. Although this is usually considered as a speciality of surgeries coming under dental care, it can vary from one country to another. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is usually performed by specialised surgeons with extensive knowledge in the field.
Benefits of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Oral and Maxillofacial surgery is a remedy to a wide range of ailments such as:
• Facial disproportion: Oral and Maxillofacial surgery can be used to correct any disproportions on the face.
• Tooth loss and imperfect bone structure: Used to cure the loss of the tooth. This involves setting implants as a replacement for the tooth.
• Sleep apnea: Due to an abnormal positioning of the jaws, there could be disturbances in sleep including difficulties to breath, snoring etc.
• Temporomandibular joint disorders: Temporomandibular joint lets us open and close our mouth freely as it connects our jaw to the skull. Defects in this joint can cause pain, trouble in chewing, swelling on face etc.
• Wisdom tooth issues: It’s a common problem when the wisdom tooth fails to come out properly causing an impact on the gum or bones.
• Facial reconstruction after trauma or injury
• Tumours in the Jaw
• Mouth Infections and Ulcers
Ernakulam Medical Centre has one of the best facilities in Kochi for Oral & Maxillofacial surgeries.