Define Maxillofacial Surgery

Board certification as an oral and maxillofacial surgeon requires extensive training beyond dental school. Procedures in this field of expertise range from facial reconstruction or pain relief to correcting birth defects, such as a misaligned jaw and other facial abnormalities.

Identification

• The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons defines maxillofacial surgery as "the specialty of dentistry that includes the diagnosis, surgical and adjunctive treatment of diseases, injuries and defects involving both the functional and aesthetic aspects of the hard and soft tissues of the oral & maxillofacial regions."

Education

• Drexel University College of Medicine, for example, offers a comprehensive six-year program that includes earning a medical degree, residency in general surgery, and preparation for the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Examination.

Function

• Maxillofacial surgery includes procedures that correct disease and disfigurement of the mouth, mandible (jaw) and neck. Examples are extracting severely impacted teeth and temperomandibular surgery to relieve TMJ pain.

Significance

• Maxillofacial surgery to restore the face after an accident greatly improves the quality of life of the patient. It also is used to reconstruct the face of a cancer patient following removal of facial tumors.

Famous Ties

• Jessica Simpson, a singer, has been the International Youth Ambassador for Operation Smile since 2003. The charitable organization organizes and sends medical teams to provide maxillofacial surgery to children with cleft lips and palates.