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Oral & maxillofacial surgery · UK

Surgery of the face, mouth and jaws - by a BAOMS consultant.

Oral and maxillofacial surgery covers wisdom teeth and dental implants, corrective jaw surgery, facial trauma, salivary gland and TMJ disease, head and neck cancer and facial cosmetic work.

See indicative pricing
A radiographer guides a patient onto the bed of an advanced 3 Tesla MRI scanner in a London imaging suite

Indicative pricing

What private OMFS costs in the UK.

Indicative ranges across UK private providers.

In short

£150–£350, with a clear plan by the end of the visit.

Procedure Indicative range
OMFS consultant consultation £150–£350
Wisdom tooth removal (surgical, per side) £450–£950
Dental implant (per implant, surgical) £1,500–£3,500
Salivary gland surgery (parotid/submandibular) £5,000–£11,000
Orthognathic (jaw) surgery - self-pay £15,000–£30,000
TMJ arthrocentesis / arthroscopy £2,500–£6,000

Prices vary by hospital, by the sub-specialist, by the anaesthetic, and by whether additional work (implants, bone graft, orthodontic coordination) is included. Trauma and cancer are managed on the NHS.

The problem

The right OMFS sub-specialist, the right pathway.

Maxillofacial surgery is a wide specialty. A general dentist, an ENT surgeon or a plastic surgeon are not interchangeable - and neither are OMFS consultants across dentoalveolar, orthognathic, oncology, salivary and TMJ. We route your case correctly.

  • Not sure who you need?

    Wisdom tooth, jaw shape, TMJ, a lump or facial trauma all sit in OMFS - but with different consultants.

  • NHS or private?

    Trauma and cancer are NHS emergencies. Wisdom teeth, implants and orthognathic often make sense privately. We say which fits.

  • Want it done properly?

    A named BAOMS consultant, a full theatre, and - where relevant - an MDT with ENT, plastics or orthodontics on the plan.

When it helps

When an OMFS opinion is the right step.

The situations we see most, plus the red flag that means urgent - not routine - assessment.

  • Impacted wisdom teeth

    Third-molar pain, recurrent pericoronitis, cysts or damage to the adjacent tooth - surgical removal in line with NICE TA1.

  • Jaw discrepancy (orthognathic)

    A Class II, Class III or asymmetric bite that cannot be fixed by braces alone - Le Fort I, BSSO, or genioplasty with orthodontics.

  • Facial trauma

    Mandible, zygoma, orbital-floor or Le Fort fractures - assessed and fixed by an OMFS on-call team, usually with mini-plates.

  • Salivary gland lump or stone

    A lump in the parotid or submandibular gland, or recurrent painful swelling from a stone - imaging, sialendoscopy or excision.

  • TMJ pain or locking

    Jaw-joint clicking, locking, or persistent pain - arthrocentesis, arthroscopy, disc surgery or joint replacement for the right case.

  • Oral or facial skin lesion

    A persistent ulcer, red-and-white patch, or a facial BCC or SCC - biopsy, excision and reconstruction, often with plastics or Mohs.

  • Sleep apnoea - jaw advancement

    For severe OSA when CPAP has failed, maxillomandibular advancement (MMA) enlarges the airway.

  • Red flag: mouth ulcer > 3 weeks

    A non-healing oral ulcer, unexplained neck lump or persistent hoarseness needs urgent OMFS/ENT assessment - not a routine booking.

Scope of OMFS

What oral and maxillofacial surgery actually covers.

The eight areas an OMFS consultant works across - with links to the deeper guides where you need them.

  • Dentoalveolar surgery

    Wisdom teeth, complex extractions, apicectomy, dental implants, pre-prosthetic surgery, and removal of tori or exostoses - day-case work under LA, sedation or GA.

  • Orthognathic (jaw) surgery

    Corrective surgery for skeletal Class II/III or asymmetric bites - Le Fort I, BSSO and genioplasty, planned with orthodontics over 12–24 months.

  • Facial trauma

    Mandible, zygoma, orbital-floor, naso-orbito-ethmoid and Le Fort I/II/III fractures - ORIF with mini-plates and dentoalveolar repair.

  • Head and neck oncology

    Oral-cavity and oropharyngeal cancer with ENT and plastics MDT - resection with free-flap reconstruction where needed (see head and neck surgery).

  • Salivary gland surgery

    Parotidectomy for pleomorphic adenoma, Warthin, adenoid cystic or mucoepidermoid tumours; submandibular gland excision; sialolithiasis and sialendoscopy.

  • TMJ surgery

    Arthrocentesis, arthroscopy, disc surgery and - in severe end-stage cases - total TMJ replacement.

  • Cleft, craniofacial and paediatric

    Primary and revision cleft lip and palate, distraction osteogenesis and craniosynostosis with paediatric neurosurgery, at specialist multidisciplinary centres.

  • Facial cosmetic and skin cancer

    Rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, facelift and fat grafting; facial BCC and SCC excision and reconstruction (with Mohs and plastics where indicated).

Safety and recovery

The risks worth knowing - honestly.

OMFS is a broad specialty, so risk is procedure-specific. These are the categories worth understanding before any consent form is signed.

  • Nerve injury is the honest risk

    The inferior alveolar and lingual nerves (wisdom teeth, mandibular osteotomy) and facial-nerve branches (parotid) are the ones we discuss carefully - usually temporary, occasionally permanent.

  • Infection and wound problems

    Oral wounds heal in a bacterial environment. Antibiotics, chlorhexidine and careful diet cut the risk; dehiscence or an oral-antral fistula (after Le Fort I) is rare but managed.

  • Non-union or mal-alignment

    After osteotomy or fracture fixation, bone can fail to unite or heal in a slightly wrong position - planning, fixation and follow-up are designed to prevent this.

  • Dysaesthesia and paraesthesia

    Numbness or altered sensation in the lip, chin or tongue can follow mandibular work. Most improves over three to twelve months; a small proportion is long-term.

  • TMJ dysfunction after orthognathic

    Jaw-joint symptoms can appear or worsen after orthognathic surgery - planning, splint therapy and physiotherapy are used to minimise this.

  • Aesthetic dissatisfaction

    Facial results are visible.

  • Bleeding, DVT and PE

    Bleeding is uncommon and controlled in theatre. For long or inpatient cases, mechanical and chemical DVT prophylaxis is standard.

  • Recovery is longer than you think

    Orthognathic and major reconstructive work needs weeks of soft diet, elastics and time off. We tell you the real recovery, not a marketing version.

  • Red flags

    Heavy bleeding, spreading facial swelling, fever, sudden numbness or airway difficulty after surgery are not normal - call the team or A&E the same day.

Reading your operation note

Your OMFS operation note in four parts. Read the last one first.

Whether it is a wisdom tooth, a parotidectomy or a Le Fort I, the note the consultant sends you keeps to the same shape.

A UK OMFS consultant reviewing a patient’s operation notes

A quiet reminder

Surgical language is precise and can read coldly - we translate it for you.

If you would like us to talk you through the note before your review, just ask.

  1. 01 Header

    Diagnosis and procedure planned

    Why the operation was recommended - impacted third molar, Class III malocclusion, parotid lesion, mandibular fracture - and which OMFS procedure was agreed.

  2. 02 Technique

    Anaesthetic, approach and fixation

    The anaesthetic used, the surgical approach (intra-oral, pre-auricular, cervical), the fixation (mini-plates, screws) and any grafts, implants or flaps.

  3. 03 Findings

    Nerves, occlusion, margins

    Intra-operative findings - nerve identification and preservation, occlusion at end of case, resection margins (for oncology), and histology where relevant.

  4. 04 Impression

    Recovery, diet, review timing

    Read this first: soft-diet duration, elastics or splints, when to return to normal activity, and the follow-up schedule - including MDT surveillance for oncology.

Recognised by major UK insurers

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Cover for OMFS varies by insurer and by indication - usually funded when medically indicated, self-pay for cosmetic and elective dental work.

Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about OMFS.

Quick answers on scope, cost, risks, recovery, and how OMFS fits alongside ENT, plastics and orthodontics.

  • What does an oral and maxillofacial surgeon actually do?

    OMFS covers surgery of the face, mouth, jaws and neck - wisdom teeth and dental implants, corrective jaw (orthognathic) surgery, facial trauma, salivary gland disease, TMJ problems, head and neck cancer, cleft and craniofacial work, and some facial cosmetic and skin cancer surgery. BAOMS consultants are dual-qualified in medicine and dentistry.

  • How is this different from a dentist, ENT or plastic surgeon?

    A general dentist manages teeth and simple extractions. ENT covers the ear, nose, throat and neck. Plastic surgery covers reconstruction and cosmetic work. OMFS sits across the face, mouth and jaws - often working in MDTs with ENT, plastics, dermatology and orthodontics on shared cases.

  • Do I need OMFS on the NHS or privately?

    Most disease - trauma, oncology, cysts, tumours, orthognathic - is NHS-funded via GP or dental referral. Private OMFS is common for wisdom teeth, dental implants, cosmetic facial work and to shorten the wait for elective surgery. We tell you honestly which route fits.

  • How much does private OMFS cost in the UK?

    Consultations £150–£350; surgical wisdom-tooth removal £450–£950 per side; dental implants £1,500–£3,500 per implant; salivary gland surgery £5,000–£11,000; orthognathic surgery £15,000–£30,000 self-pay. Trauma is NHS emergency care.

  • What are the risks of orthognathic (jaw) surgery?

    The main risks are altered sensation in the lip and chin (from inferior alveolar nerve stretch), a small chance of non-union or relapse, TMJ symptoms, occlusion that needs post-operative adjustment, and - for Le Fort I - the rare risk of an oral-antral fistula. Planning with orthodontics is designed to make the outcome predictable.

  • Will I lose sensation after wisdom teeth or jaw surgery?

    Numbness in the lip, chin, tongue or gum is possible after any mandibular work. In most patients it settles over three to twelve months; a small proportion have long-term altered sensation. Careful case selection and CBCT planning reduce the risk.

  • How long is recovery from major OMFS?

    Day-case wisdom teeth: three to seven days off. Salivary gland surgery: one to two weeks. Orthognathic surgery: two to six weeks off work, soft diet for six weeks, and roughly six months for full settling. Facial trauma and reconstruction vary case by case.

  • Are OMFS consultants qualified in both medicine and dentistry?

    Yes. UK OMFS consultants (BAOMS-registered) hold degrees in both dentistry and medicine, then complete OMFS specialty training. That dual background is the reason the specialty exists - you cannot safely operate on the face and jaws with only one.

  • When should I ask for an urgent OMFS opinion?

    A mouth ulcer that has not healed in three weeks, a persistent neck lump, unexplained numbness of the lower lip or chin, a facial fracture, or heavy post-operative bleeding all need urgent assessment - not a routine appointment.

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