What is oral and maxillofacial surgery?
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (abbreviated as OMS) deals with the diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and reconstruction of:
- Jaws
- Teeth
- the oral cavity, and
- the face
In particular, diseases, malocclusions, and injuries (resulting from accidents) are the main areas of focus for oral and maxillofacial surgery specialists.
What diseases and disorders do oral and maxillofacial surgeons treat?
Experts in oral and maxillofacial surgery (often referred to as oral and maxillofacial specialists) primarily deal with the following diseases, malformations, and consequences of accidents:
- Malocclusions
- Jaw misalignments
- Cleft lip and palate
- Jaw fractures
- Dysgnathia (malocclusion)
What does the range of services provided by oral and maxillofacial surgeons look like?
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons primarily perform surgical procedures. Their main task is to restore the natural function of the oral and pharyngeal cavities as well as the facial region. Using implants, for example, they ensure that the face looks as natural as possible.
Plastic-aesthetic and reconstructive facial surgery are used in the following cases:
- Congenital malformations (cleft lip and palate)
- Injuries and
- accidents
Maxillofacial specialists enable affected patients to lead a carefree life. In the field of oral surgery, implantology and oral and maxillofacial surgery play a key role.
What qualifications do specialists in oral and maxillofacial surgery have?
Oral and maxillofacial surgery is a unique specialty within the German medical landscape.
Since oral and maxillofacial surgery combines two medical disciplines, specialists in this field in the DACH region must hold dual medical licenses. The title “Dr. med. Dr. med. dent.” is therefore very common among oral and maxillofacial surgeons.
Another distinctive feature is the close relationship with other organ systems. Specialists in oral and maxillofacial surgery frequently collaborate with neighboring disciplines.
Joint procedures with the following disciplines are often necessary:
Anyone wishing to practice as an oral and maxillofacial surgeon in Germany must complete both a medical degree and a dental degree. Afterward, the trainee undergoes a 5-year residency to become a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon. During this time, they must spend three years working in a clinical setting.
During this time, the trainee oral and maxillofacial surgeon is able to gain extensive experience with surgical procedures. This is because surgical skills are of paramount importance in oral and maxillofacial surgery.
After successfully passing the exam to become an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, the doctor can pursue further training to earn the additional specialty designation in “plastic surgery.”
There are currently about 1,500 oral and maxillofacial surgeons in Germany. Roughly half of them are in private practice.
The other half of oral and maxillofacial specialists are primarily found in hospitals and specialized clinics.
