Oral surgery, or oral maxillofacial surgery, addresses injuries, defects, and diseases of the mouth, jaw, and face, including temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, cancer, and facial trauma.
Often, treating these conditions requires coordinated care with other providers and specialists. At UPMC, our experts in pediatrics, plastic surgery, cancer, trauma, and otolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat) work closely with oral and maxillofacial surgeons at the University of Pittsburgh. This helps ensure our patients receive seamless, comprehensive care for their conditions.
While you may think of oral surgery as dental surgery, it encompasses much more. Oral and maxillofacial surgery addresses injuries, defects, and diseases of the mouth, jaw, and face, from the simple to the complex.
Oral surgeons often work on complex cases, such as cancer or facial trauma, that require close coordination with other specialties like oncology, trauma, and plastic surgery.
For this reason, experts at UPMC work closely with the oral and maxillofacial surgeons at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dentistry. This ensures each patient receives seamless, comprehensive care for their specific condition.
Some of the conditions oral and maxillofacial surgeons are likely to address include:
Oral surgeons perform many procedures, from the simple to the complex. These include:
We treat many conditions with oral surgery, including:
There are many reasons you may need oral surgery, ranging from an impacted wisdom tooth to severe facial trauma or reconstruction.
At UPMC, our primary care providers and specialists work closely with oral surgeons to ensure you receive seamless, comprehensive care for your condition, focused on restoring both function and appearance.
For example, a baby born with a genetic condition that results in cleft palate may need a care team that includes a pediatrician, an oral surgeon, a plastic surgeon, a speech language pathologist, and other specialists. It’s imperative that these providers coordinate care to achieve the best outcome for the patient.
In many cases, oral surgery is necessary to restore function or address trauma. For example, a baby may require cleft palate surgery to feed correctly. Or an adult may need surgery to repair facial fractures sustained in an accident.
However, some oral surgeries may be more cosmetic in nature, such as dental implants. In those cases, you should work with your provider to weigh the risks and benefits of the procedure and ensure you are making the best decisions for you and your health.
All surgeries come with possible complications, including oral surgery. Your risk of complication depends on your specific condition and the type of surgery you receive. Common complications include:
How you prepare for oral surgery depends on your condition and the type of surgery you receive.
For example, a surgical extraction may take place in a doctor's office or clinic and only require a local anesthetic or sedative. However, cleft palate repair or facial reconstruction takes place in a hospital and requires general anesthesia.
If you are receiving general anesthesia for your oral surgery, you may need to stop certain medications and refrain from eating or drinking in the days or hours before your surgery. Your surgeon will give you specific instructions before your procedure.
The length of your procedure depends on your condition and the type of surgery you are receiving.
For example, a surgery to correct or realign the jaw may take an hour or two. However, surgery to repair extensive facial trauma could take up to 12 hours.
Some oral surgeries, such a surgical extraction, may only require local anesthetic or a sedative. So, you may be awake or asleep for your procedure, but you should not feel pain in either case.
More extensive oral surgery requires a general anesthetic, which means you will be asleep during the procedure. You will likely need an IV to receive fluids and a tube to help you breathe. You will also need to spend time in the recovery room once your surgery is complete.
Your surgeon will discuss the details of your particular surgery with you so that you know what to expect.
Your recovery after oral surgery depends on your condition and the type of surgery you receive.
For example, you may be able to go home right after a surgical tooth extraction (though if you receive a sedative, you’ll need a driver). However, if you had a more extensive surgery that required general anesthesia, you may need to spend several nights in the hospital.
You surgeon will give you specific instructions after your procedure to help you heal and achieve the best outcome. Those instructions include information about:
While some discomfort is to be expected after surgery, you should call your doctor if you notice any signs of a more serious issue, including:
The main goal of oral surgery is to restore function, including improved chewing, speaking, breathing, or sleeping. However, oral surgery can also result in aesthetic improvements. This is especially true in cases of cleft lip, facial trauma, and dental reconstruction.
These changes in your appearance may give you more confidence or relieve anxiety about your condition.
By UPMC Editorial Staff. Last reviewed on 2026-09-14.
