Oral and maxillofacial surgery deals with operations on the teeth, jaws, mouth and face. At the simpler end is oral surgery done in the dental chair: difficult extractions, wisdom teeth, cysts and bone grafts. At the other end is hospital surgery on the jawbones, facial fractures, salivary glands and joints.
Surgeons in this field work closely with orthodontists, implant dentists and ENT and plastic surgeons. Much of the planned work suits a short trip, but jaw realignment surgery is tied to one to two years of orthodontics and cannot be treated as a stand-alone operation.
Conditions this service looks after
- Impacted wisdom teeth and other buried teeth
- Jaw cysts and benign tumours
- Too little bone for dental implants
- Jaw size or position problems causing a poor bite or facial imbalance
- Facial and jaw fractures
- Temporomandibular joint disease not helped by conservative care
- Salivary gland stones
- Suspicious mouth lesions needing biopsy
- Spreading dental infections and abscesses
Tests you may be offered
- Panoramic X-ray: Overview of teeth, jaws, sinuses and nerve canals.
- Cone beam CT: Three-dimensional planning for wisdom teeth near the nerve, implants, grafts and cysts.
- Cephalometric analysis and 3D virtual planning: Measures jaw relationships before corrective jaw surgery.
- MRI: Shows the disc of the jaw joint and soft tissue masses.
- Biopsy: Tissue diagnosis of lumps, ulcers and patches.
Treatments available
- Surgical extraction: Removal of impacted or broken teeth with a small gum flap and bone removal.
- Bone grafting and sinus lift: Rebuilds bone so implants can be placed.
- Cyst enucleation and apicectomy: Removes cysts and infected root tips.
- Orthognathic surgery: Repositions the upper jaw, lower jaw or chin, planned with an orthodontist.
- Zygomatic and full arch implant surgery: For severe upper jaw bone loss.
- TMJ arthrocentesis and arthroscopy: Washes out or inspects a painful locked joint.
- Fracture fixation: Plates and screws; emergency care delivered where the injury occurs.
When to ask for a specialist opinion
- Your dentist has said an extraction is too complex for general practice
- You have been told you lack bone for implants
- A scan has shown a cyst or shadow in the jaw
- Your bite and jaw position cannot be fixed by braces alone
- A mouth ulcer or patch has not healed within three weeks
Travelling to Türkiye for this care
Wisdom tooth removal, cyst surgery, grafting and implant surgery are planned procedures that fit a stay of 5 to 10 days. Jaw realignment surgery requires braces before and after, so only consider it abroad if the orthodontics is coordinated in writing; allow at least 2 weeks before flying. Fractures and spreading infections are emergencies to treat where you are. Suspected mouth cancer should be investigated close to home, where the full treatment would take place.
Send your reports, scans and a short history and a Clinic-Y coordinator replies within 24 hours with suitable teams and written, all-inclusive proposals side by side. Reviewing your case is free.
الأسئلة المتكررة
Is this done by a dentist or a doctor?
In Türkiye these surgeons are dentists with a further specialist training of several years. In some countries they hold both medical and dental degrees.
Will I need a general anaesthetic?
Most chair-side oral surgery uses local anaesthetic, with sedation if you wish. Jaw surgery and large cysts need general anaesthesia in hospital.
How soon can I fly?
Usually 2 to 3 days after minor oral surgery. After a sinus lift avoid flying for about 1 to 2 weeks, and after jaw surgery about 2 weeks.