Let’s begin by defining oral surgery. Oral surgeries are surgical procedures performed in the head, neck, face, and jaws, as well as the hard and soft tissues of the mouth. When you are referred for oral surgery, it means that an oral surgeon is a specialist with the proper training and skill to treat your specific condition for the best results. Oral surgery procedures include simple and complex teeth extractions (including wisdom teeth), dental implant placement, repair of facial and jaw bone injuries, treatment of oral pathologies, corrective jaw surgery (also called orthognathic surgery) to align the bite, surgical treatment of and sleep apnea, and various types of cosmetic procedures. There is no difference between oral surgery and oral and maxillofacial surgery—oral simply refers to your mouth, while maxillofacial refers to your entire jaw and face. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are the providers that are trained to diagnose and perform surgery to treat injuries or problems in these areas, including the mouth.
While all oral surgeons are dentists, not all dentists are oral surgeons. All oral surgeons earn a four-year graduate degree in dentistry and then go on to complete a hospital-based oral and maxillofacial surgery residency program for 4 or more years, where they are trained in emergency medicine, general surgery, and anesthesiology. In addition, oral surgeons are the only healthcare specialists other than anesthesiologists who can administer all levels of sedation, including general anesthesia.
At our practice in Birmingham, Alabama, oral surgeons Dr. Roden and Dr. Alling perform the full scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery with your comfort, health, and well-being in mind. Get to know our surgeons by visiting their profile pages.
Patients who have received treatment at our practice have shared their personal experiences with oral surgery to help you feel at ease about your own procedure. Enjoy listening to their experiences on our Patient Stories page.
You may be referred to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon for the following reasons:
No matter what type of oral surgery you require, our surgeons have the knowledge, training, and experience to increase your quality of life dramatically. Our team is available to answer your questions and address your concerns to help make your oral surgery experience at Roden Oral, Facial, and Dental Implant Surgery a positive one, so please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Our practice offers a variety of anesthesia and sedation options to make sure you feel comfortable and at ease during your procedure. During your consultation, your oral surgeon will decide with you the best anesthesia option.
In order to better serve our patients, we incorporate advanced 3D imaging at our practice. This allows us to see higher quality, more detailed X-ray images and provide a more accurate diagnosis.
At Roden Oral, Facial, and Dental Implant Surgery, we understand that excellent guidance by our team allows our patients to feel more relaxed and confident about their procedures both before and after surgery. Our highest goal is to take excellent care of you! We also want you to know how important it is that you join us as an important member of your care team. When it comes to a smooth and speedy recovery at home, you are the most significant factor! It is very important that you follow detailed pre- and post-operative instructions we will provide to you before your procedure for a smooth treatment process and rapid recovery.
For your convenience, we include general guidelines here. The pre-operative instructions will help you prepare for surgery, and the post-operative instructions will be more specific to your procedure and will provide instructions for your care once you return home to recover. Always feel free to contact our office with any questions, including questions about pre- and post-operative care. If anything is unclear to you, our knowledgeable staff is here to guide you.