Patients who are suffering from certain dental conditions may be referred, by their regular dentist, to an oral surgeon. An oral surgeon is a dentist who has further extensive training in operating procedures and anaesthetics. They perform surgery that is either too complicated or too specialised to be carried out in a normal dental surgery.

Oral surgery is often necessary to remove wisdom teeth, otherwise known as third molars, which can emerge form below the gum line when there is no space for them to grow into. This can result in alterations to existing teeth alignment causing impaction. This can lead to painful swelling, irritation and infection of the gum tissue that surrounds the wisdom teeth. In some circumstances, wisdom teeth can lead to the formations of cysts or tumours, which can destroy sections of the teeth and jaw. For this reason, misaligned wisdom teeth need to be removed by an oral surgeon before any of these problems occur.

Patients requiring dental implants may also need to see an oral surgeon. A dental implant is an alternative to a dental bridge or dentures. The actual implant is a cylindrical screw that is implanted into the jawbone, to which is attached a post and crown. Dental implants are only carried out on patients who have the correct level of bone density and high levels of oral hygiene.

Surgery will also be carried out on patients with a variety of jaw joint complaints, such as TMJ and unequal jaw growth, and patients suffering from sleep apnea. Oral surgery is also a very important part of facial reconstruction for patients who have suffered severe facial trauma. A City of Leeds dentist may need to refer you to an oral surgeon if you are suffering from one of the above complaints. Oral surgeons are extremely skilled and highly trained in anaesthetics to make your surgery experience as pleasant as it can be.