Oral surgeons are skilled professionals that specialize in the surgical treatment of the defects and irregularities on the anatomy of the human jaw. Most of the time they are working with the defects of the face, like cleft palate and cleft lip. Dentists and physicians recommend patients with such problems to oral surgeons.
Duties of Oral Surgeons:
- Performing surgical operations on the jaw
- Assessing patients problems to be given diagnosis and treatment
- Removal of the abnormalities on the facial structure
- Treating irregularities in snoring
- Perform operations on facial enhancements such as augmentation of the cheek and bone
- Determining defects and improvements to be made
- implanting skin coming from other parts of the body on affected areas
Services offered by oral surgeons:
- dental implants
- anaesthesia services
- Iv Sedation
- Tooth Extraction
- Correction of facial defects
- Lacerations( Facial and intra-oral)
- Restoration of facial and dental tissues
- Laser Surgery
- Fixing birth defects and other deformities
Educational / Training Requirements:
- Completion of a three year post graduate study
- Must acquire a degree in dentistry
- Must complete hospital surgical residency program
- Must have a license
- Must complete a four-year degree on dental and facial surgery
- Should acquire a specialized education on pain control
Tools That Oral Surgeons Use:
Oral Surgeons use certain tools and equipments in performing surgical operations to their patients. Listed below are the tools that oral surgeons use:
- Intra oral camera supplies
- Surgical chairs
- Anaesthesia machines
- Medical furniture
- Sedation dentistry
- Sterilization and sanitation equipments ( cotton, disinfectants, soap, towel)
- Masks
- Gloves
Working Environment:
Oral surgeons are normally seen on hospitals and their clinics. Working hours for oral surgeons may vary, depending on the condition of the patient. On severe cases, they may work on surgical operations that exceed their normal working hour. Their areas are filled with a complete set of equipments used for surgeries and are traditionally air-conditioned.
Compensations and Benefits Received:
According to a survey conducted by American Dental Association in 2006, average earnings received by oral surgeons is $ 390 000. However, compensations received by oral surgeons would greatly matter on the work experience they are specializing in their certain field. The longer the experience, the higher the salary earned.