Maxillofacial surgeon
Maxillofacial Surgeon
A Maxillofacial Surgeon (pronunciation: max·il·lo·fa·cial sur·geon) is a specialist in the field of medicine and dentistry who focuses on the diagnosis and surgical treatment of diseases, injuries, and defects involving the functional and aesthetic aspects of the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial region.
Etymology
The term "Maxillofacial" is derived from the Latin words "maxilla" meaning jawbone and "facies" meaning face. The term "Surgeon" comes from the Greek word "cheirourgia" meaning hand work, referring to the manual aspect of the surgical profession.
Roles and Responsibilities
A Maxillofacial Surgeon performs a variety of procedures that involve the mouth, teeth, jaws, and face. This includes dental implants, wisdom teeth removal, orthognathic surgery, oral cancer treatment, cleft lip and palate repair, TMJ disorder treatment, facial trauma surgery, and cosmetic surgery of the head and neck.
Education and Training
To become a Maxillofacial Surgeon, one must complete a four-year undergraduate degree, four years of dental school, and then a four to six-year surgical residency program. Some surgeons also choose to complete additional fellowship training in a specific area of maxillofacial surgery.
Related Terms
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: 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 and maxillofacial region.
- Oral Surgeon: A dentist who specializes in different aspects of surgery within the mouth.
- Orthognathic Surgery: A surgical procedure to correct conditions of the jaw and face related to structure, growth, sleep apnea, TMJ disorders, malocclusion problems owing to skeletal disharmonies, or other orthodontic problems that cannot be easily treated with braces.
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