LIFESTYLE
The practice knows the importance of a smile, and has helped patients who have lost teeth from infection or trauma, as well as people who haven’t developed all of their teeth or those who have a cleft. If someone has lost all of their teeth and has dentures, Dr. Miller says they help stabilize the denture with dental implants or skeletally fixated implants. “This is an important distinction. Our training takes place at the university and hospital level, where we work under the supervision of oral and maxillofacial surgeons with decades of experience,” he explained. “There are some general practitioners who try to pursue additional continuing education courses to expand the surgical procedures they offer. Unfortunately, that type of training
is very different from the years of true intensive surgical education and repetitious hands-on experience required of an oral and maxillofacial surgeon.” Dr. Miller stresses the importance of patients understanding those differences in training, specialization, experience, and doing research when deciding who is best qualified to perform their surgical procedure. “To become an oral surgeon, you must first complete dental school then matriculate at either a four-year or six-year oral surgery residency,” explained Dr. Leet. “The process is arduous and very competitive to get in and to complete a residency, ensuring only the very best graduate.”
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