Oral and maxillofacial surgeons focus on treating problems related to the hard and soft tissues of the face, mouth and jaws (the upper jaw is referred to as the maxilla).
They undertake complex treatments that may require more invasive procedures or deeper levels of sedation, such as extraction of compacted wisdom teeth, corrective jaw surgery for a misaligned bite, cleft lip/palate surgery and reconstructive surgery after traumatic dental injury or facial trauma.