Patient education
Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery — Glossary
Plain-English definitions for the terms you'll hear at consultation: All-on-4, zygomatic implants, sinus lift, osseointegration, MMA, and more.
Dental Implants
Dental Implants
Core terms in implantology — what 'implant' means, how protocols differ, and why surgeons use specific names.
Dental implant
- A titanium or zirconia post surgically placed in the jawbone to replace a missing tooth root. After osseointegration, a crown, bridge, or denture attaches to it.
Single tooth implant
- Replacement of a single missing tooth with an implant + abutment + crown. Doesn't affect adjacent teeth (unlike traditional bridges).
All-on-4
- Full arch of fixed teeth supported by 4 implants. Two front implants placed vertically, two rear implants angled to avoid sinuses and nerves. Typically immediate-load: temporary teeth attached the day of surgery.
All-on-6
- Same concept as All-on-4 but with 6 implants for additional support — usually when adequate bone volume is present or a larger jaw is treated.
Zygomatic implants
- Long implants anchored in the zygomatic (cheek) bone instead of the upper jaw. Used when severe bone loss makes traditional implants and sinus lifts impossible.
Immediate load
- Protocol where temporary teeth are attached to implants the same day as surgery. Requires sufficient primary stability (typically ≥35 Ncm).
Osseointegration
- Biological fusion of the implant surface with surrounding bone. Takes 3-6 months. Without full integration, the implant cannot bear long-term load.
Snap-on dentures / Overdentures
- A denture that snaps onto 2-4 implants via buttons or a bar. Removable for cleaning but holds firmly during eating.
Bone & Preparation
Bone & Preparation
An implant needs sufficient bone volume and density. When it's not there, here's how it gets built up.
Bone grafting
- Adding bone material to a site that lacks enough native bone for an implant. Materials include autogenous (your own), allograft (donor), xenograft (bovine), or synthetic options.
Sinus lift
- Procedure to add bone in the upper jaw by lifting the floor of the maxillary sinus. Lateral approach (window) or crestal approach (through the implant site).
Ridge augmentation
- Restoring the width or height of the alveolar ridge lost to long-term tooth absence. Performed separately or simultaneously with implant placement.
Socket preservation
- Placing bone material in the socket immediately after tooth extraction to prevent bone resorption and preserve volume for future implants.
Block graft
- A solid block of bone (autogenous or allograft) screwed into a deficient area. Used for severe ridge defects.
Corrective Jaw Surgery
Corrective Jaw Surgery
Orthognathic surgery terms — what each procedure does and when it's used.
Le Fort I osteotomy
- Surgical cut across the upper jaw above the tooth roots. Used to reposition the maxilla forward, back, up, down, or to split it into segments.
BSSO (Bilateral Sagittal Split Osteotomy)
- Surgical splitting of the lower jaw on both sides to reposition it forward or backward. The most common mandibular orthognathic procedure.
Genioplasty
- Surgical reshaping of the chin — advancement, reduction, lengthening, or rotation. Often combined with jaw surgery for facial harmony.
MMA (Maxillomandibular Advancement)
- Simultaneous forward movement of both jaws. Highly effective surgical treatment for obstructive sleep apnea.
Malocclusion
- Misalignment of the bite. Class I = generally normal alignment with crowding. Class II = upper jaw ahead of lower (overbite). Class III = lower jaw ahead of upper (underbite).
Virtual surgical planning (VSP)
- 3D digital simulation of jaw surgery using CBCT data. Allows precise pre-surgical planning and creation of patient-specific surgical guides.
Anesthesia & Sedation
Anesthesia & Sedation
Levels of comfort available during oral surgery — what each one means.
Local anesthesia
- Numbing of just the surgical area. Patient stays fully awake. Used for simple extractions and minor procedures.
Nitrous oxide
- Inhaled 'laughing gas' for mild relaxation. Patient remains conscious. Wears off within minutes after stopping.
IV sedation
- Sedative medications delivered intravenously. Patient breathes on their own but remembers little to nothing. Most common choice for wisdom teeth, implants, and biopsies.
General anesthesia
- Patient is fully unconscious with airway support. Used for major procedures like orthognathic surgery in hospital settings.
ABOMS (American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery)
- Board certification verifying that a surgeon completed an accredited OMS residency and passed rigorous written and oral examinations. The gold standard for OMS practice.
Imaging & Diagnostics
Imaging & Diagnostics
The diagnostic tools used to plan oral surgery accurately.
CBCT (Cone Beam CT)
- 3D dental imaging that shows bone, sinuses, nerves, and tooth roots in high detail. Essential for implant planning, jaw surgery, and complex extractions. Far lower radiation than medical CT.
Panoramic X-ray
- Single 2D image showing all teeth, both jaws, and surrounding structures. Useful for screening but less detailed than CBCT for surgical planning.
Periapical X-ray
- Small detailed 2D image of one or two teeth and surrounding bone. Used for diagnosing individual tooth issues.
Intraoral scan
- Digital scan of the teeth and gums replacing physical impressions. Used for designing crowns, surgical guides, and orthodontic plans.
Recovery & Complications
Recovery & Complications
Common terms patients hear during recovery and what they mean.
Dry socket (Alveolar osteitis)
- Painful condition when the blood clot in an extraction site dislodges, exposing bone. Occurs in 1-5% of extractions. Treated with medicated dressing.
Pericoronitis
- Infection of the gum tissue around a partially erupted tooth — often the cause for wisdom tooth removal.
Paresthesia
- Temporary or rarely permanent numbness from nerve irritation. Most common with lower wisdom teeth near the inferior alveolar nerve. Usually resolves over weeks to months.
Pericoronitis
- Infection of the gum tissue around a partially erupted wisdom tooth, often the reason for surgical removal.
Term you don't see here?
Bring your question to a free consultation. Dr. Antipov or our coordinator will explain exactly what your diagnosis means and what treatment options exist for your case.