What is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon?
An oral and maxillofacial surgeon is a dentist who has gone on to postgraduate surgical training in the mouth, the jaws and the face. In India that qualification is an MDS in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, taken after the BDS.
So they are trained as a dentist first. That matters, because most problems in the jaws involve the teeth and the bite, and the surgery has to fit around both.
What kinds of problems do they handle?
The everyday work is surgical: impacted wisdom teeth, teeth that have broken below the gum, and extractions that are not straightforward. Alongside that, cysts and lumps in the jaw, biopsies of patches or ulcers in the mouth, and building up bone before implants.
The larger work is about the jaws and face themselves. Fractures of the jaw and cheekbone after a fall or a road accident, corrective jaw surgery when the jaws are out of position, and problems with the jaw joint in front of the ear.
It is a wide field, and not every surgeon does all of it. Asking what someone does regularly is a fair question.
When should you see one rather than a general dentist?
Usually your dentist will tell you. A referral is common when a wisdom tooth is deeply buried or sits close to the nerve, when an X-ray shows something in the jaw that needs a closer look, or when a tooth has roots that make a simple extraction unlikely.
Some situations are worth going to directly. An injury to the face where your teeth no longer meet the way they did, a swelling or lump in the jaw that is not going away, or jaw pain and locking that keeps coming back.
If a face injury also involved being knocked out, vomiting, confusion, heavy bleeding or difficulty breathing, go to a hospital emergency department first. The jaw can be dealt with once the rest has been checked.
None of this means surgery is the answer. Plenty of jaw joint problems settle without it, and our guide on jaw pain and clicking explains why the assessment comes before any decision.
Is everything done in the clinic?
No, and it should not be. Extractions, minor oral surgery and biopsies are done in the clinic under local anaesthetic, and you go home the same day.
Plating a fractured jaw and corrective jaw surgery need an operating theatre, usually with a general anaesthetic, so they are done in a hospital, where Dr Kuchu works as a visiting consultant maxillofacial surgeon. You are told which hospital before admission.
Who does this at STHIRA?
Dr Bhargav Kuchu, whose MDS is in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. If you want to know what his training covers before you come in, his profile sets out his background, including the facial trauma and jaw joint work.
The clinic is in Rai Durg, on the Old Mumbai Highway. If you are coming from Gachibowli or nearby, this page has the address, timings and directions in one place.
For the procedures done at the clinic itself, our oral surgery page lists them and explains what each appointment involves.
Common questions
Is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon a dentist or a doctor?
A dentist with postgraduate surgical training. In India the qualification is an MDS in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, taken after the BDS degree.
Do I need a referral to see an oral and maxillofacial surgeon?
Not always. Many people are referred by their dentist, but you can book directly for a swelling in the jaw, a difficult extraction or a jaw injury. If an injury also involved being knocked out, vomiting or confusion, go to a hospital emergency department first.
Does an oral and maxillofacial surgeon treat jaw fractures?
Yes. Facial and jaw fractures are part of the specialty. Where a fracture needs fixing, that is done in a hospital, not in a dental chair.
Can an oral and maxillofacial surgeon remove wisdom teeth?
Yes. Impacted and difficult wisdom teeth are among the most common reasons people see one.