ABOMS key terms

A horizontal surgical cut through the maxilla above the tooth roots, separating the lower maxilla from the upper face so the tooth-bearing segment can be moved to correct skeletal jaw discrepancies.

A pyramid-shaped surgical separation of the maxilla that passes through the nasal bridge and orbital rims, used for midface advancement when the deformity extends above the Le Fort I level.

A complete craniofacial disjunction separating the entire midface from the cranial base at the nasofrontal and zygomatic sutures, used for severe midface retrusion such as syndromic craniosynostosis.

Simultaneous orthognathic repositioning of both the maxilla and mandible, planned together so the occlusion and facial profile are corrected in three dimensions rather than one jaw at a time.

A mandibular ramus procedure in which the bone is split sagittally to allow the tooth-bearing segment to be advanced, set back, or rotated while the proximal segment stays seated in the temporomandibular joint.

Gradual lengthening of bone by surgically creating a gap and slowly separating the bone ends, allowing new bone to form in the gap; used for mandibular or midface hypoplasia, especially in growing patients.

Stabilization of bone segments with plates and screws after osteotomy or fracture, holding the segments rigidly enough to permit early function and usually avoiding the need for maxillomandibular fixation.

Temporary wiring or elastics holding the upper and lower teeth together in the correct bite, used to stabilize fractures or osteotomies and to guide occlusion during healing.

A malleable metal bar wired to the teeth along the dental arch, providing a stable anchor for maxillomandibular fixation in trauma and orthognathic cases.

Progressive loss of volume of the mandibular condyle, causing bite changes, anterior open bite, and jaw retrusion; an important cause of relapse after orthognathic surgery.

Condylar resorption without an identifiable systemic or traumatic cause, seen most often in adolescent and young adult females and capable of producing severe mandibular retrusion and open bite.

Return of the original skeletal or dental discrepancy after treatment, resulting from incomplete correction, growth, condylar change, or inadequate retention.

The phase after active tooth movement in which appliances or retainers hold teeth in their corrected positions to prevent them from drifting back toward their original positions.

Damage to the nerve running through the mandible, producing altered sensation of the lower lip and chin; a recognized risk of sagittal split osteotomy, implant placement, and third molar removal.

Damage to the nerve supplying sensation to the tongue and floor of mouth, most often from third molar surgery or implant placement, causing taste change, numbness, or painful dysesthesia.

The three divisions of the fifth cranial nerve-ophthalmic, maxillary, and mandibular-that provide sensation to the face and motor supply to the muscles of mastication.

A developmental cyst of the jaws with a thin lining of parakeratinized epithelium and a tendency for local aggressiveness and recurrence, most common in the posterior mandible.

A benign but locally aggressive epithelial odontogenic tumor of the jaws, most often in the posterior mandible, that can cause marked bone expansion and requires wide resection to control recurrence.

Removal of a cyst or tumor lining intact, followed by shaving of a margin of surrounding bone to reduce recurrence, commonly used for odontogenic keratocysts.

Surgical creation of a window in a cyst wall to relieve internal pressure and allow the cyst to shrink before definitive removal, often used for large cysts near vital structures.

Resection of a full-thickness portion of the mandible, including continuity of the bone, typically for aggressive benign or malignant disease, requiring reconstruction to restore arch form.

A vascularized segment of the fibula transferred with its blood supply to reconstruct jaw defects, valued for its length and the ability to shape it into a new mandible or maxilla.

Surgical joining of small blood vessels under magnification to restore blood flow to a transferred tissue flap, essential for the survival of free tissue reconstructions.

The most common malignancy of the mouth, arising from surface epithelium and often linked to tobacco and alcohol use; staged by tumor size, nodal spread, and distant metastasis.

Identification and removal of the first lymph node draining a tumor using a tracer, to determine whether cancer has spread to the neck while avoiding unnecessary full neck dissection.

Surgical removal of cervical lymph node groups to treat or stage cancer spread from the head and neck, classified as radical, modified radical, or selective depending on which structures are preserved.

Death of bone after radiation therapy, usually in the mandible, caused by radiation-induced loss of blood supply and cells; presents with exposed bone that fails to heal.

Exposed jaw bone that persists for more than eight weeks in a patient taking antiresorptive or antiangiogenic drugs, without prior radiation, often after a dental extraction.

Treatment in which the patient breathes pure oxygen at increased pressure to raise tissue oxygen levels, used as an adjunct to improve healing in compromised bone and soft tissue.

Abnormal position or function of the disc relative to the condyle and fossa, producing clicking, limited opening, or pain; includes disc displacement with and without reduction.

Minimally invasive irrigation of the temporomandibular joint with needles to remove inflammatory mediators and improve joint mobility, used for closed-lock and painful joint disorders.

Repeated collapse of the upper airway during sleep causing oxygen desaturation and daytime sleepiness; oral surgery may be part of care through jaw advancement or appliance therapy.

A congenital defect in which the lip and/or palate fail to fuse during development, requiring staged surgical repair that affects feeding, speech, dental development, and facial growth.

Placement of bone into the cleft alveolar defect, usually before eruption of the permanent canine, to provide support for teeth and to close an oronasal communication.

Injury to teeth and their supporting bone, including luxation, avulsion, and alveolar fracture, classified and managed according to which tissues are damaged and how quickly treatment occurs.

Complete displacement of a tooth out of its socket; management depends on extraoral time and storage medium, with replantation most favorable when done promptly.

Infection originating from a tooth or its supporting tissues that spreads along facial planes, potentially threatening the airway or spreading to the mediastinum if not drained promptly.

A rapidly spreading cellulitis of the submandibular, sublingual, and submental spaces that can elevate the tongue and obstruct the airway; a surgical emergency requiring airway control and drainage.

Surgical opening of an abscess or infected space to release pus and relieve pressure, combined with removal of the source and antibiotic therapy.