Microsoft Dentist
A facelift at a Microsoft Dentist
To better understand the issue and make an informed decision, it is important to know the training of each specialist.
Would you let a dentist do your facelift? Lawmakers in California and Colorado are on the verge of passing bills would allow dentists, primarily oral surgeons, to perform facelifts and rhinoplasty (nose jobs) in addition to the removal of wisdom teeth and other procedures traditionally performed by the oral surgeon. Not surprisingly, this issue has caused a tremendous amount of controversy in the medical community, with strong opposition from plastic surgeons. The topic has certainly raised some eye brows, and was even a recent subject of conversation on WPHT radio’s morning show with Michael Smerconish.
To better understand the issue and make an informed decision, it is important to know the training of each specialist. Prospective dental and medical students must take identical classes in college, which include biology, general and organic chemistry, physics and their associated labs. Both pre-dental and pre-medical students must also take their respective entrance exams to matriculate into medical or dental school. Medical and dental schools are each four year programs, but their emphasis is different. Medical school teaches treatment of the entire body, and dental school teaches an understanding of the entire body and how it relates to treatment of the mouth.
To become an oral surgeon, a seattle dentist must complete a three to four year residency (six year programs offer an MD degree). Oral surgeons are trained to remove teeth, section and reposition the jaws, reconstruct the jaw and facial skeleton after traumatic injury, biopsy suspicious lesions, repair cleft palates, and perform many other invasive procedures. Many oral surgery residency programs teach residents how to perform rhinoplasty and other facial plastic surgical procedures. Oral surgeons are also trained to perform IV sedation and general anesthesia.
To become a plastic surgeon, the medical doctor must first complete a three or more year surgical residency. The surgeon must then complete a two or three year plastic surgery residency program to complete the training.
So the question remains: Should oral surgeons be allowed to perform facial plastic surgery? Are plastic surgeons just protecting their turf? The answer is not as clear cut as most of us would like. I believe that an oral surgeon who has sufficient training and experience should be permitted to perform facial plastic surgery. The oral surgeon should be held to the same standard as a plastic surgeon when performing the same surgery. I would feel more comfortable with an oral surgeon who also holds an MD degree if I considered having facial plastic surgery not performed by a plastic surgeon. Although a plastic surgeon should be considered the doctor of choice for facial plastic surgery, I do not believe that a properly trained oral surgeon should be summarily dismissed as unqualified for the procedure.
Adult Oral Health
The hectic pace of today’s adult lifestyle often leaves little time for the daily oral health care routine needed to prevent cavities and periodontal disease. This is unfortunate since periodontal disease is the most common cause of tooth loss in adults. An estimated 75% of Americans reportedly have some form of periodontal disease.
The hectic pace of today’s adult lifestyle often leaves little time for the daily oral health care routine needed to prevent cavities and periodontal disease. This is unfortunate since periodontal disease is the most common cause of tooth loss in adults. An estimated 75% of Americans reportedly have some form of periodontal disease.
Early detection of periodontal disease reduces the risk of permanent damage to teeth and gums and can prevent more extensive and costly treatment in later years. Regular professional seattle dentist visits, every six months or as scheduled by your dental hygienist, will help you learn more about proper care for your teeth and gums. Regular professional visits are important because gingivitis, the early stage of periodontal disease, is usually painless; you may not be able to detect it on your own