Dr. James E. Bertz - What Is Oral Surgery
Dr. James Bertz is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon practicing in Scottsdale, AZ. Dr. Bertz specializes in the treatment of problems related to the face, mouth and jaws. As an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, Dr. Bertz is a unique dental specialist who can provide emergency medicine, perform general surgery and give anesthesia.... more
What is Oral Surgery?
When your dentist comes across certain issues, he or she will refer you to an oral surgeon, also known as a maxillofacial surgeon. These surgeons specialize in dental surgery of not only the mouth but also of the jaws and face as well. This includes performing surgery on the head, neck, face, jaws, as well as hard and soft oral tissues. If you are refereed to an oral surgeon, it doesn't mean you're in big trouble, it just means there is a specialized surgeon for that particular surgery.
To become an oral surgeon, one must earn a four-year graduate degree in dentistry and complete a hospital oral and maxillofacial surgery residency program for a minimum of 4 years. This program includes specialized training in anesthesia and pain control.
Oral surgery comes into play when you are looking for a dental implant, which is a post that is anchored to the jaw bone to replace missing teeth. Perhaps you have a tumor or cyst in your oral tissues that needs to be removed. Oral surgery is you go to for many aliments, including misaligned jaw, wisdom teeth removal, TMJ, reconstructive surgery after an injury, cancer of the face, jaw or neck, and even sleep apnea.
