Oral surgery is any procedure that involves cutting into or removing tissue from your mouth. It includes procedures like removing a tooth, gum surgery, and getting dental implants. Oral surgery also includes getting rid of diseased tissue from the mouth, correcting jaw problems, or repairing a cleft lip or palate.

Your dentist may perform oral surgery or refer you to an oral surgeon, called an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. An oral surgeon is a dentist who has completed a university post-graduate specialty program in oral and maxillofacial surgery.

Oral and maxillofacial surgery is a specialty of dentistry that deals with the surgical treatment of disorders, diseases, injuries and defects of the hard and soft tissues of the oral and maxillofacial regions and related structures.

Sometimes, after minor oral surgery, you may have pain, bleeding and swelling. Proper care after oral surgery will help your mouth heal quickly and cleanly.

Warning signs

If you have any of the following problems after oral surgery, call your dentist or oral surgeon right away:

• You are bleeding a lot and it has been 4 hours, or longer, since your surgery.
• You have the feeling that you are going to throw up.
• You are throwing up.
• You have a fever.
• You have pain that does not get any better, and it has been 1 full day or longer since your surgery.
• Your swelling is still getting worse, and it has been 2 days or longer since your surgery.