Cosmetic Maxillofacial Surgery

There is a lot more to dentistry than what meets the eye. While many people see dentists as people who “clean teeth” for a living there are many more specializations that bind with the art of dentistry. Our smiles have an overall impact on confidence and can be used to indicate overall health. I used the article “Cosmetic Maxillofacial Surgery” by William Storoe IV to learn more about the specialization of Cosmetic Dentistry. Through this article, I discovered that oral and maxillofacial surgeons differ greatly from most dental specialists in several ways. After completing four years of dental school, they go on to spend another four years in a hospital-based residency program for surgery. There, they are trained in the techniques of emergency medicine, general surgery, and anesthesiology. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are the only healthcare specialists (aside from anesthesiologists) who can administer all levels of sedation, up to general anesthesia. I had always wondered how exactly OMFS (oral maxillofacial surgeons) operate on patients with the use of anesthesia. In a normal surgery, an anesthesiologist would have to come in and assess the proper dose of anesthesia required, but OMFS can do this without the need for an anesthesiologist. I realized that this is done to complete procedures with efficiency. While Cosmetic Maxillofacial Surgery is loosely related to dentistry, it spiked my interest because cosmetic surgery is so prevalent in our day and age.

Such a professional may seem superficial, but the goal of these surgeries is to improve appearance not change it entirely. Cosmetic Maxillofacial Surgery is designed to enhance pre-existing features therefore, it will not give patients a “new face.” Most people think that patients looking into CMS (cosmetic maxillofacial surgery) want to change their entire appearance through plastic surgery, but that may not be the case. Small changes can create a world of confidence. Confidence is the key to success and it may begin with outward experience for some. I am passionate about this because I often hear older generations of adults speaking on how it is wrong to want to change “yourself”. However, in our generation, it is much more common to see people getting surgeries to “enhance” their appearance. It isn’t a taboo topic anymore which makes the need for occupations such as OMFS much greater.

Not only is OMFS desired by patients looking to enhance their appearance, but it is also necessary in certain cases. Corrective Jaw Surgery is performed by OMFS and is needed when orthodontics may not be enough to correct a misaligned bite. Furthermore, this form of surgical treatment is needed to repair congenital abnormalities (birth defects), skeletal problems, and other disorders. OMFS are also crucial when patients might require Reconstructive Surgery after traumatic dental injury or facial trauma. OMFS are trained for various procedures from emergency to luxury. Regardless, this field is attractive due to its vast complexity and impact on patients. As I have grown up and begun the journey of finding myself I realized that I love to help others strive to be the best versions of themselves. Whether that be in my friendships or relationships, I hope to carry that into my profession one day.

This research guided me to look closely into a subfield of dentistry which I learned I find even more interesting than just the umbrella of general dentistry. In the future of dentistry and cosmetic enhancement, I see the demand for OMFS growing exponentially. With the amount of experience and attention to minute details that OMFS require, they may even take the place of plastic surgeons. I can see just today the “inflated” almost “unnatural” look that many influential celebrities used to achieve is beginning to fade away. Nowadays when looking into cosmetic enhancements, celebrities tend to opt for more “natural” looks which aren’t easy to point out. Celebrities like Bella Hadid or even Kendall Jenner may have undergone procedures to enhance their features, but they are so faint and most likely done by a doctor who is finely tuned to cosmetic surgery such as an OMFS. Moving forward, I will keep this profession in mind and dedicate more of my research looking into the various procedures that OMFS and other Oral Surgeons perform as I have realized this field piques my interest.