A dental surgeon is a broad term referring to a practitioner who performs surgical procedures involving the teeth, jaws, and surrounding structures. While general dentists handle minor surgical tasks, such as simple tooth extractions, the term usually points to a highly specialized professional. Surgical intervention often arises from complex issues beyond routine dental care, such as advanced disease, trauma, or congenital defects. This specialization requires significant additional training after dental school to manage complex patient cases safely and effectively.
The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon
The specialist most accurately referred to as a “dental surgeon” is the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon (OMFS). This field is the surgical specialty of dentistry, acting as a bridge between medicine and dentistry. Their scope of practice is comprehensive, covering the entire craniofacial complex, including the mouth, jaws, face, and neck.
OMFS training is rigorous, beginning with four years of dental school to earn a DDS or DMD degree. Following this, the surgeon completes an additional four to six years of hospital-based surgical residency training. Many programs are integrated, six-year tracks that result in the surgeon also earning a medical degree (MD), providing a deep background in general medicine and surgery.
During residency, they train alongside medical residents in various surgical and medical fields, including general surgery and emergency medicine. This extensive experience prepares the OMFS to manage a wide array of conditions, from removing impacted wisdom teeth to major facial trauma repair. Their practice also includes placing dental implants, correcting jaw misalignments through orthognathic surgery, and treating pathology like cysts and tumors of the jaw and mouth.
Other Dental Specialists Who Perform Surgery
While the OMFS has the broadest surgical scope, other dental specialists also perform surgery within their focused areas of expertise. These specialists complete additional training beyond dental school to address complex issues related to specific parts of the tooth or supporting structure. Understanding their distinct roles clarifies which practitioner is needed for a specific surgical procedure.
Periodontists
Periodontists focus on the supporting structures of the teeth, including the gums and bone. Their surgical procedures primarily treat advanced gum disease (periodontitis) and correct resulting damage. This includes pocket reduction surgery, where gum tissue is folded back to clean infected root surfaces and reshape damaged bone.
They also perform regenerative procedures, such as bone grafting to rebuild jawbone lost to disease. Soft tissue grafting, like gum grafts, is used to cover exposed tooth roots caused by recession. Periodontists are also skilled in the surgical placement of dental implants, as the implant foundation rests within the supporting bone.
Endodontists
Endodontists focus on the dental pulp and the tissues inside the tooth root. Their primary surgical procedure is the apicoectomy, or root-end resection, performed when a standard root canal procedure fails to resolve an infection. During this procedure, the endodontist makes a small incision to access the tip of the tooth root, removes the infected tissue, and seals the end of the root canal.
This microsurgery is necessary when infection persists in the bone surrounding the root tip. Other complex surgical procedures include intentional replantation, where a tooth is removed, treated outside the mouth, and then reinserted. These procedures are aimed at saving a natural tooth that might otherwise require extraction.
When to See a Dental Surgeon
A referral to a dental surgeon is necessary when an oral health issue requires an advanced surgical solution or general anesthesia. The most common reason is the removal of impacted wisdom teeth, especially those trapped within the jawbone, which risk infection or damage to adjacent teeth. General dentists routinely refer patients to an OMFS for these complex extractions.
An OMFS should be seen for facial injury or trauma, such as jaw fractures, requiring reconstructive surgery. Surgical intervention is also required for advanced temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders that do not respond to non-surgical treatments. Complex dental implant placement, particularly when significant bone grafting or sinus lifts are needed, also necessitates the specialized training of an OMFS.
Referrals to a Periodontist are indicated for moderate to severe gum recession, deep periodontal pockets, or advanced gum disease. An Endodontist is the specialist of choice when pain or infection persists after a root canal, suggesting the need for a targeted surgical approach like an apicoectomy. The general dentist coordinates care, directing the patient to the specific dental surgeon whose expertise matches the condition’s complexity.