Oral surgery includes a range of surgical procedures that are conducted in the mouth and jaws, including removal of wisdom teeth (third molars) and corrective jaw surgery.
Oral surgery can be performed by a general dentist or an oral surgery specialist (Oral Surgeon or Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon).
Wisdom tooth extraction is one of the more commonly claimed Oral Surgery services under private health insurance policies. Typically, a general dentist or an oral surgery specialist will perform the wisdom tooth extraction and this may be completed under either a local anaesthetic in the operator’s private rooms or under a general anaesthetic as an in-patient in hospital.
The most common ways to have teeth surgically removed are:
By a general dentist or oral surgery specialist in their private rooms as an out-patient service;
By a general dentist or an oral surgeon specialist as a surgical procedure in hospital as an in-patient service usually under sedation by a general anaesthetic
When claiming health fund benefits for surgical tooth extractions, it is important to be aware that in most cases, the amount of your benefit will be determined on the basis of the provider of the service, i.e. whether it is a general dentist or an oral surgery specialist; and whether you have the procedure in the operator’s chair or you are admitted to hospital as an in-patient.
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