Treatment for injury or trauma. Facial lacerations are repaired, working in conjunction with plastic surgeons and ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeons when needed. With facial fractures, oral and maxillofacial surgeons use state-of-the-art plating systems to hold bones in position while they heal. Metal plating systems are beginning to be replaced by newer technology-resorbable plating systems that dissolve after the bones have healed.

Temporal mandibular joint (TMJ) surgery. The temporal mandibular joint (TMJ) hinges the lower jaw, or mandible, to the temporal bone of the skull. This joint is in motion any time a person eats, drinks or talks. The patient can have a congenital or acquired deformity within this joint-causing functional loss, clicks, pops, chronic facial pain, headaches and ear problems. TMJ surgery can be an effective treatment for these patients and is generally performed after medication, physical therapy and splint therapy have proved ineffective. There are several TMJ surgical procedures.

Dental implants. Most surgeries related to dental implants are handled in the offices of oral and maxillofacial surgeons. However, in cases where the patient has lost teeth and the lower jaw has been injured or has become atrophic and won't support implants, a transmandibular reconstruction plate is implanted to rehabilitate the lower jaw. These procedures are done under general anesthesia within a hospital operating room.

Reconstructive surgery. Cancer surgeries, injuries and other issues can result in loss of facial skeleton. In these cases, the facial skeleton is reconstructed using osteotomy, bone grafting and implants.

Correction of facial skeleton deformity. Osteotomy is performed to move facial skeleton and dentition into more normal relationships to improve speech and ability to chew, help reduce facial pain and headaches, and address sleep apnea.

Routine ambulatory procedures. Surgical extraction of teeth, biopsies, most implants, and other routine oral and maxillofacial procedures are generally done in the offices of individual physicians, not at Mission Hospitals.