What Is Oral Maxillofacial Surgery?

Posted on 1/2/2024 by San Tan Oral Surgery

Modern technology ensures the presence of specialist surgeons for different parts of the body. Among these specialties is oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS), a unique profession requiring qualifications in dentistry and medicine and additional specialist surgical training. Read on for more details about oral maxillofacial surgery.

The OMS Specialty

OMS is an oral specialty within dentistry comprising both dentistry and medicine. While oral surgery includes surgery in the mouth, only some performing this surgery are oral surgeons. Therefore, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon is a surgeon specializing in facial, jaw, and oral surgery. These surgeons remove impacted wisdom teeth, place dental implants, and perform difficult teeth extractions and bone grafting.

Is an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon Similar to a Plastic Surgeon?

Plastic surgeons and OMS perform similar procedures but are not interchangeable. A plastic surgeon has a doctor of medicine degree and can perform reconstructive surgery on other parts of the body. In contrast, a maxillofacial has a doctor of dental surgery besides their medicine degree, and their practice is limited to the facial areas.

Why Would You Need Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery?

An oral and maxillofacial surgery relieves jaw pain and improves its function. The procedure also addresses dental conditions by diagnosing chronic dental pain, preparing the mouth for dental implants, treating oral diseases, and extracting impacted teeth. Other reasons for OMS include correction of congenital disabilities like cleft lip and palate, treatment of facial trauma, and diagnosis and treatment of cancer, tumors, and other growths in your neck, head, and mouth.

Bottom Line

Oral and maxillofacial surgery comprises operations to correct an injury, disease, or defect on your mouth, jaw, or face. These dental surgeons are qualified to undertake the challenge and diagnose and treat your condition. Therefore, if you think that you are suffering from any of the above conditions, contact our office today to schedule a consultation with our OMS.

About
Dr. Cynthia Colson

Dr. Colson grew up in the Metro area, attending Camelback High School and ASU. She graduated from the University of Kentucky Dental School and completed her residency at Long Island Jewish Hospital in Long Island, New York. She also attended an anesthesia fellowship program at the University of Illinois at Chicago and has traveled with Healing The Children, a non-profit organization, to Bucarumanga Columbia treating patients with cleft lip and palate deformities.
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What our patients are saying about us

"Dr. Colson is amazing! She explained everything thoroughly without sounding condescending and gently but directly guides you through the whole procedure. She is excellent and super experienced. I got my wisdom teeth pulled (3 partially impacted and one simply extracted) and aside from asking too many questions under laughing gas before the general anesthesia knocked me out, I got no complications and have had essentially no pain at all." – Ana D.

Mid-age woman smiling and crossing her arms.

Office hours

Mon - Thur: 8am to 5:00pm
Friday: 8am to 2:00pm

Location

3303 S. Lindsay Rd.
Suite 112
Gilbert, AZ 85297

Contact

Office: (480) 604-2592

Connect

Santanxray@gmail.com

About Us | Dental Implants Gilbert, AZ | San Tan Oral Surgery
If you have recently been told you need oral surgery, you have come to the right place. Call San Tan Oral Surgery to schedule your initial consultation today!
San Tan Oral Surgery, 3303 S. Lindsay Rd. Suite 112, Gilbert, AZ 85297-2100, (480) 604-2592, santanoralsurgery.com, 2/4/2026, Page Keywords: Dental Implants Gilbert AZ,