Oral and maxillofacial surgery is the specialty of dentistry that includes the diagnosis, surgical and adjunctive treatment of diseases, injuries and defects involving both the functional and esthetic aspects of the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial region.

Oral pathology, however, is the specialty of dentistry and discipline of pathology that deals with the nature, identification, and management of diseases affecting the oral and maxillofacial regions. It is a science that investigates the causes, processes, and effects of these diseases. The practice of oral pathology includes research and diagnosis of diseases using clinical, radiographic, microscopic, biochemical, or other examinations.

Maxilla refers to the jaws - lower maxilla or lower jaw is currently called the mandible and the term maxilla refers to the upper jaw.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is a regional surgical specialty concerned with the diagnosis and surgical treatment of congenital or aquired diseases,dysfunction or injury of the mouth, jaws, face, neck and associated regions.

Originally Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery was a surgical specialty of dentistry however, with increasing scope of practice and complexity of surgery and medicine it become evident that degrees in both Medicine and Dentistry are required before progressing to advanced surgical training in the specialty. Usual pathways require a Medical Degree and a Dental Degree followed by basic medical and dental training and finally 4-5 years of specialty surgical training.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery deals with :

• Dentoalveolar Surgery:surgical removal of impacted teeth, difficult extractions, removal of teeth on medically compromised patients, exposure of teeth for orthodontic reasons.
• Facial bony trauma : fractures of the lower and upper jaw, cheek bones, noses, eye sockets, frontal bone, etc.
• Facial soft tissue trauma:repair of facial and oral lacerations
• Diagnosis and treatment of benign Oral and Maxillofacial pathology:non cancerous cysts, tumors and growth
• Diagnosis and treatment of cancerous conditions of the oral and facial region
• Diagnosis and treatment of skin lesions (skin cancers) in the region
• Diagnosis and treatment of facial pain
• Diagnosis and treatment of Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ = jaw joint) disorders
• Osseointegrated (bone anchored) implants:dental and craniofacial implants
• Adjunctive measures in the treatment of sleep apnea (Mandibular advancement splints and jaw advancement surgery etc)
• Orthognathic Surgery (jaw realignment surgery) to maximise facial function and aesthetics
• Reconstructive surgery
• Facial aesthetic surgery
• Salivary glands surgery