To become an oral surgeon a dentist must complete not only the eight-year Doctorate degree in general dentistry but also an additional four-year degree in the specialty of choice. Most dental schools will offer every specialty within, but some are not available to the general dentist and they must choose a school out of state. Oral surgery is a complicated specialty as most are however, oral surgery can be complicated in that some procedures require a hospital setting for facial reconstruction and so forth. Many oral surgery procedures can be performed in an office with complete sterilization practices employed. Many third molar (wisdom teeth) extractions are classified as simple but there are some that are a bit more complicated and require a more complicated oral surgery to be done.

There is often an oral surgeon bel air md in every community. Most are within the area that a general dentist can refer patients to them. The general dentist will usually refer a patient to the oral surgeon when the extraction is a bit complicated or intravenous sedation is required. In most cases the intravenous sedation is required or needed when all four wisdom teeth are taken out. Or if the patient presents with anxiety that nitrous oxide sedation won’t help. A combination of the two can be used with the patient to ease the anxieties. Procedures such as dental implants and such are not as invasive as an extraction or facial reconstruction but still require an oral surgeon to perform as it is oral surgery. Dental implants are fairly new to modern dentistry and require training and practice in themselves.

An oral surgeon must belong to a National Order of Oral Surgeons as well. If, as stated, they do go out of state to college they must take and pass a state test as well. Not only the state in which they were schooled but also the state in which they will practice and actively participate in an oral surgery practice. In addition to the routine procedures that are performed by and oral surgeon there are several other reasons that the general dentist will refer is because there may be an oral or head and neck cancer present that needs specialized treatment. Laser treatments are becoming more and more used among the oral surgeons. Laser surgery is used to perform a variety of procedures including frenectomies, gingivectomies and cauterization techniques to control bleeding and coagulation.

In conclusion, an oral surgeon is a specialist with emphasis usually on surgical removal of the teeth. Whether they are partially impacted, fully impacted, or simple extractions, if a general dentist feels it is necessary to refer to the oral surgeon the referral will be accepted. Some general dentists refer all but simple extractions to the oral surgeon due to complications that can occur during the surgery or the need for intravenous sedation as discussed earlier. Some oral surgeons are in the emergency department of a hospital.