Oral MedicineWhat is it?
A specialty that diagnoses and treats conditions of the orofacial (oral and facial) region without surgery.
Oral Medicine is a dental specialty, TMJ (Jaw Joint) disorders, orofacial pain, teeth grinding/clenching, oral mucosal diseases, dry mouth which we diagnose and treat.
Instead of surgery, medications, physical therapy, behavioral therapy, and oral appliance therapy using these non-surgical approaches.
In Oral Medicine, Services We Provide
Key conditions treated by Oral Medicine specialists
TMJ (Jaw Joint) disorder (TMD)
We diagnose and treat symptoms such as clicking when opening, jaw pain, or limited mouth opening. We use splints, physical therapy, and medications.
Orofacial Pain
We evaluate facial, jaw, and oral pain of unknown cause, neuralgias, and myofascial pain, and provide non-surgical treatment.
Teeth grinding and clenching (bruxism)
We manage tooth wear, jaw pain, and headaches from sleep bruxism and daytime clenching. We prescribe stabilization splints (night guards), among other therapies.
Oral mucosal diseases
We diagnose and treat a range of conditions affecting the oral mucosa, including canker sores (aphthous ulcers), lichen planus, leukoplakia, and oral candidiasis.
Dry mouth
This is mouth dryness caused by reduced saliva. We identify causes such as medication side effects and autoimmune diseases and provide appropriate management.
Snoring and Sleep Apnea
We provide non-surgical treatment for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea using oral appliances (MADs).
What is an Oral Medicine specialist?
A dentist who takes a medical, non-surgical approach to oral diseases
Oral Medicine specialistis a dentist who, after graduating from a 6-year dental program, trains in a university hospital Oral Medicine department for a 3-year residency and must pass the specialty board exam to be certified.
During training, they study TMJ (Jaw Joint) disorders, orofacial pain, oral mucosal pathology, sleep medicine, and dry mouth in depth.
Unlike other dental specialties that mainly focus on surgery, Oral Medicine uses a non-surgical, medical approach to manage conditions of the orofacial region and considers how systemic diseases relate to oral health.
Oral Medicine Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, they are different. Oral Medicine is a dental specialty that focuses exclusively on diseases of the oral, jaw, and facial regions. It is a separate field from medical Internal Medicine.
If there’s only sound and no pain, watchful waiting may be enough. However, if pain or limited mouth opening (difficulty opening your mouth) is present, it’s best to be evaluated by an Oral Medicine specialist.
While you can’t completely eliminate grinding itself, wearing a stabilization splint (splint) can help prevent tooth wear and greatly reduce jaw muscle strain.
For recurring mouth ulcers or oral sores that don’t heal for over 2 weeks, we recommend evaluation by an Oral Medicine specialist. They may be oral mucosal diseases or oral signs of a systemic condition.
Dealing with TMJ (jaw joint) or oral pain?
Seoul BD Dental’s Oral Medicine specialist can help with non-surgical treatments.
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On this topic, columns written directly by our director
We’ve compiled the questions we’re asked most often in the clinic.