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What is maxillofacial surgery?
Medical articles
Reviewed by: Dr. Hani Shash, Consultant Plastic Surgeon

If you suffer from facial fractures, you can undergo maxillofacial surgery to get rid of the pain resulting from this problem and restore the beauty of your face.

What is maxillofacial surgery?

Oral and maxillofacial surgery is a special type of dentistry. It is similar to oral surgery, but can contribute to the diagnosis, surgery, and treatment of diseases, injuries, and defects affecting the oral cavity, face, and jaws.

Therefore, this surgery can contribute to treating the following: –

  • Dental bone grafting.
  • Jaw implant.
  • Cleft lip and cleft palate repair.
  • Dental implants.
  • Surgical straightening of the jaw.
  • Jaw resection.
  • Reconstructive facial surgery.
  • Sleep apnea surgery.
  • Impacted wisdom teeth.
  • Dental implants.
  • Head and neck cancer.
  • Facial fractures.
  • Temporomandibular joint disorders.
  • Jaw tumors.

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Benefits of maxillofacial surgery

Oral and maxillofacial surgery includes many benefits, such as: –

Promote oral health

This surgery can treat a wide range of oral problems, such as: –

  • Infected teeth.
  • Gum disease.
  • Jaw misalignment.

Therefore, patients can enjoy better oral health and reduce the risk of future problems.

Improving public health

Injuries to your mouth or face can affect your oral health and overall health, so surgery may be the only way to get rid of the infection and reduce your risk of further damage.

Improve appearance 

Maxillofacial surgery can improve the appearance of your face and mouth, which leads to increased self-confidence and self-esteem.

Pain relief

Misaligned jaws or teeth can cause many symptoms, such as: –

  • Toothache.
  • Facial pain.
  • الصداع.

Therefore, this surgery can help solve these problems and get rid of pain.

Improve function   

Problems with the face and jaws can affect chewing and speech, so this surgery can help improve the function of the jaws and treat the problems you face.

Increase self-esteem

Oral and maxillofacial surgery can greatly improve self-esteem.

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Risks of maxillofacial surgery

It is possible that some patients after this surgery will face some side effects and complications.

Side effects of maxillofacial surgery

النزيف

Bleeding is a common risk associated with any surgery, but in this surgery it can be a particular problem, due to the abundance of blood vessels in the mouth and face.

العدوى

Infection can occur as a result of the presence of bacteria at the surgical site, and symptoms include the following: –

  • الحمى.
  • التورم.
  • Redness around the surgical area.

Swelling  

Swelling is a normal part of the healing process after surgery, but excessive swelling can lead to: –

  • Feeling uncomfortable.
  • Difficulty eating or speaking.

Bruises

It can occur after surgery, as a result of a ruptured blood vessel, but usually goes away within a few days to a week.

Numbness

It can occur as a result of nerve damage during surgery.

Pain 

Pain after this surgery is normal and can be managed with medications, but if the pain is severe or lasts a long time, this may indicate complications.

Damage

This surgery can cause damage to teeth, nerves, or sinuses, so you may undergo additional procedures to correct the damage.

Complications of anesthesia

Anesthesia is generally safe, but it can lead to some complications, such as: –

  •  الحساسية.
  • Respiratory problems.

Difficulty opening the mouth

Some patients can have difficulty opening their mouths due to swelling or muscle stiffness. This occurs after maxillofacial surgery.

Scars  

Some patients may experience small, noticeable scars after oral, maxillofacial, and maxillofacial surgery.

Book your consultation now at مركز الجلدية والتجميل At Al Mousa Specialist Hospital.

What should I do if I experience complications after surgery?

If you experience any of the above complications after surgery, you should contact your doctor immediately.

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What is the difference between oral surgery and maxillofacial surgery?

Oral and maxillofacial surgery  are similar in some procedures, such as: –

  • Bone implants.
  • Dental implants.
  • Tooth extraction.

But Oral and maxillofacial surgery also focuses on more complex procedures, such as reconstructive facial and neck surgery.

Instructions after maxillofacial surgery

The doctor may recommend some instructions to you, which you must follow, in order to enhance recovery after surgery, such as: –

  • Apply ice bags to reduce inflammation.
  • Get plenty of rest.
  • Avoid hard or crunchy foods.
  • Avoid tobacco.
  • Not exercising for a few days.
  • Rinse your mouth instead of brushing your teeth.
  • Do not spit forcefully.
  • Take pain relievers as instructed by your doctor.

Frequently asked questions about maxillofacial surgery

There may be many questions in your mind about this surgery, such as: –

Is maxillofacial surgery safe?

Yes, this surgery is safe, if performed by trained and experienced surgeons and performed under appropriate medical conditions.

What does a maxillofacial surgeon treat?

This surgery can be used to help treat a wide range of conditions, such as: –

  • Jaw pain.
  • Temporomandibular joint disorder.
  • Cleft lip and cleft palate.
  • Head and neck cancer.
  • Oral diseases.
  • Facial fractures.
  • Impacted wisdom teeth.
  • Jaw tumors.
  • Tooth impaction.
  • Injuries to the face, mouth, and jaw.

How long does it take to recover from maxillofacial surgery?

Recovery after Oral and maxillofacial surgery depends on the type of procedure you had, and you may experience some swelling, bleeding, discomfort, and tenderness.

What is the specialty of maxillofacial surgery?

It is a surgical specialty to help diagnose and treat problems that occur in the following: –

  •  الفم.
  • jaw.
  • Face.
  • الرقبة.

Can a dentist become a surgeon?

Yes, a dentist can become a surgeon, but this will require additional years of specialized training after dental school. Maxillofacial surgeons train to perform a wide range of surgical procedures, such as:

  • Corrective jaw surgery.
  • Placement of dental implants.
  • Facial trauma.
  • Facial surgery.

It can also work with other medical specialties, to treat more complex medical conditions.

Frequently asked questions

What operations does a maxillofacial surgeon perform?

Among the most important operations performed by a maxillofacial surgeon are operations to repair fractures of the face and jaw bones after accidents and injuries, operations for congenital jaw deformities, dental implant surgery, operations to remove facial and neck tumors, and operations to correct the jaw joint.

How long does jaw surgery take?

Jaw surgery takes approximately 2 to 4 hours depending on the type of operation and the patient’s general health condition. The duration may be longer if the operation involves the jaws or requires major modifications to the jaw bones because it is performed under general anesthesia. 

In conclusion, you now understand, dear reader, what is maxillofacial surgery, and what are its benefits?

Therefore, if you suffer from facial fractures, or any of the conditions mentioned above, you should go to Al Mousa Specialist Hospital, so that the best doctors can help you treat the problem you are suffering from, and restore the beauty of your face and your self-confidence.

Medical references 

Maxillofacial Surgery – clevelandclinic

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