Oral Surgery

Oral surgery can be required by patients for many reasons. At the simplest end of the scale, surgery can be required to extract wisdom teeth. However, oral surgeons are also skilled in removing cysts and tumours, in providing reconstructive surgery after injury and in treating a wide range of diseases related to the head, face and neck.

Oral surgery is often required in cases where the patient suffers from a jaw bone disorder. These disorders are often natural, rather than caused by accidents or trauma. The problem with these kinds of disorders is that even a small misalignment in the jaw joint can result in face, jaw, neck and back pain later in life.

What does the job involve?

A qualified oral surgeon will normally tackle a range of treatments:

  • Dental implants are usually put in place by an oral surgeon as the metal rods that form the implants must be screwed permanently into the jaw bone.
  • Oral surgeons will also treat serious jaw growth issues and abnormalities that cause problems with talking, eating or sleeping.
  • People who require dentures may need to visit an oral surgeon to improve the shape of the jaw bone so that dentures fit better.
  • Jaw joint disorders can also be corrected through oral surgery.
  • Facial injury and facial infections also fall under the remit of a qualified oral surgeon.
  • Oral surgeons also treat issues such as cleft lip and cleft palate.

Oral surgeons will often work as part of a team to diagnose and treat severe cases and other treatments may be recommended before surgery. For example, people who snore heavily may try a variety of remedies. If all else fails and their quality of life is suffering badly, they may be referred to an oral surgeon.

What qualifications do you need?

Becoming an oral surgeon takes a rare combination of both dental expertise and medical expertise. Most oral surgeons are qualified dentists with at least four years of dental training. On top of that, they also complete another four years of study and practical experience during a hospital residency. This enables them to develop their broader medical knowledge and to develop their surgical skills and technique.

What are the career prospects?

Through years of training, oral surgeons develop a very high level of skill and the best surgeons are very highly sought after. There are opportunities to develop your own practice or to work as part of a broader medical team within a hospital setting, which also offers opportunities to move up the career ladder.

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  • Example Job

    Salary:
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    Salary:
    £24,000
    Location:
    Preston, Lancashire

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