Maxillofacial surgery covers the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of diseases, injuries and defects affecting the facial skeleton and the jawbone. Because the field encompasses so many conditions, many different types of maxillofacial surgery are performed around the world.

Given the importance of the maxillofacial region, oral surgeons are professionally trained to recognise and treat disorders and defects of the hard and soft tissues of this area.

Oral and maxillofacial surgery includes numerous types of surgical procedures, from facial anomalies to skin cancer, corrective jaw surgery and facial cosmetic surgery, and from obstructive sleep apnoea to head and neck cancer.

Common types of maxillofacial surgery:

Corrective jaw surgery

Oral surgery corrects deformities of the jaws and teeth to improve their function. As well as improving the function of the jaw and teeth, the operation also enhances the appearance of the face.

When orthodontic treatment alone cannot resolve jaw problems, surgery can be a good alternative.

Jaw surgery may involve the upper jaw, called the maxilla, the lower jaw, called the mandible, or a combination of both.

Jaw surgery can help to:

  • resolve difficulties with speech or swallowing
  • close the mouth comfortably and completely
  • improve chewing and biting
  • eliminate breathing difficulties during sleep
  • correct retraction of the lower jaw and chin
  • balance an asymmetrical appearance of the face in profile or from the front

Temporomandibular joint disorders

One of the TMJ disorders also causes pain in the muscles that control jaw movement. In most cases, pain in the jaw or the associated muscles can be relieved with non-surgical treatment, and the pain subsides within a short time.

Several types of temporomandibular joint surgery are possible. The right type depends on the patient’s individual symptoms and the severity of the condition.

There are three common types of temporomandibular joint surgery: arthrocentesis, arthroscopy and open joint surgery.

Dental implantology

Dental implants are a high-quality replacement for missing teeth. A titanium screw inserted into the lower or upper jawbone serves as the material for dental implants.

In most cases, implantation is a team effort: first the oral surgeon places a suitable implant in the bone, and then the restorative dentist takes over.

Cleft and craniofacial surgery

Various forms of maxillofacial surgery correct congenital and acquired anomalies of the maxillofacial region. The most common craniofacial treatment is for cleft lip and palate in children.

Implants in maxillofacial surgery

Maxillofacial implants are used to correct dentofacial anomalies, to reconstruct the jawbone after ablative surgery or maxillofacial trauma, and to restore a lost stomatognathic system.

See a surgeon promptly if the maxillofacial region has been injured. If this happens, act rather than waiting for the problem to resolve on its own.

It is very important that primary surgical treatment of the wound and repair of the damage take place within the first 1–3 days after the injury. Correcting a deformity later is a serious and more demanding treatment, requiring greater effort from the surgeon and a longer recovery after surgery.

Surgical treatment of facial injuries may take several hours and can be performed under local anaesthetic or, where rapid recovery from severe injuries is needed, under general anaesthesia. The patient’s full recovery time after surgery depends on the complexity of the injury and may range from one day to 4–5 weeks.