Dental Surgery: Information & Dental Surgeons

Dental surgery encompasses the entire spectrum of surgical procedures performed in the oral cavity. The associated procedures involve one or more of the following areas:

• the jaw
• the teeth
• the soft tissues within the oral cavity

The experts in these surgical procedures are both dentists and oral surgeons. Oral surgeons are dentists who have completed several additional years of specialized training in the field of dental surgery.

Dental surgery must be distinguished from oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS). In both specialties, a degree in medicine or dentistry forms the foundation. Dental oral surgery, however, refers exclusively to operations within the oral cavity. Maxillofacial surgery, on the other hand, performs reconstructive procedures not only on the jaw but generally throughout the entire face.

Dental surgery covers a wide range of treatment options within the oral cavity. These include, among others:

• Wisdom tooth extraction
• Removal of severely damaged teeth
• Apicoectomy (surgical removal of the tip of the tooth root)
• Placement of dental implants
• Osteotomy (cutting through the bone, for example, when removing very firmly embedded wisdom teeth)
• Correction of lip and tongue ties
• Bone augmentation (reconstruction of the jawbone)
• Removal of cysts in the mucous membrane or jaw
• Surgery following accidents
• Treatment of abscesses (collections of pus) in the oral cavity

In many cases, the treating dentist refers their patient to a specialist in oral and maxillofacial surgery. In such cases, the actual diagnosis has already been made. If the dentist determines, for example, that a tooth needs to be extracted, they will refer you to the oral surgeon. The surgeon will discuss the procedure with you and schedule an appointment for the surgery.

If a diagnosis has not yet been made, it is the treating dentist’s responsibility to do so. As part of the medical history, they will discuss your symptoms with you and ask you questions about your medical history.

This often requires detailed diagnostic methods, usually an imaging procedure. X-rays of the jaw are among the most common options; in many cases,

• an ultrasound,
• a computed tomography (CT) scan, or
• magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

may also be considered. These diagnostic methods provide a detailed and accurate view of the relevant structures. This allows the dentist to locate the condition and determine its extent. 

Dental surgery encompasses a wide range of treatment methods. Each method is tailored to the specific findings and the associated diagnosis.

The following three examples illustrate the wide range of procedures in dental surgery.

Example: Removal of a wisdom tooth

Wisdom teeth often do not have enough space in the jaw. They may only partially erupt, creating pockets where bacteria can accumulate more easily. This frequently leads to inflammation of the mucous membrane or difficulty opening the mouth.

The surgical removal of one or more wisdom teeth is performed under local anesthesia. In most cases, a small incision in the mucous membrane is necessary. The oral surgeon then exposes the tooth. If necessary, he or she splits it and removes it.

The surgeon then closes the wound with sutures, which are removed after about ten days. The procedure usually takes only a few minutes.

Example: Apical Resection

Deep-seated tooth decay is often associated with a bacterial infection of the dental pulp. In severe cases, the tooth may even die. If possible, the tooth should be preserved.

This requires root canal treatment—in this case, the removal of the root tip. To do this, the dental surgeon cuts off the infected tip of the tooth root. He then removes the surrounding inflamed tissue.

The procedure is performed under local anesthesia.

Example: Placement of Dental Implants

When a tooth is missing, there are several options for replacing it. Dental bridges and removable dentures are affordable, but they come with functional and aesthetic compromises. A dental implant is a replacement that closely resembles a natural tooth. An implant also preserves the adjacent teeth, as they do not need to be ground down.

Dental implants are special screws that serve as artificial tooth roots. In implantology, they are inserted into the jawbone, where they integrate with the bone.

Individual crowns, bridges, or even dentures can be used as the prosthetic restoration.