An Excellent Experience Awaits You at Oral and Facial Surgery of Pittsburgh

By Nancy Kennedy

There’s a lot to smile about at Oral & Facial Surgery of Pittsburgh (OFS Pittsburgh). This exceptionally patient-focused center for oral health and maxillofacial surgery, located in Wexford (and soon to be Monroeville), provides every patient with an excellent, individualized experience through a blend of technologically advanced care, clear communication, and a warm, humane, and personal approach to care. In a spotless, comfortable and state-of-the-art environment, OFS Pittsburgh offers safe, exemplary care that will improve your health as well as enhance your smile.

OFS Pittsburgh provides a full range of services to improve and maintain oral health and appearance, from extractions to dental implant surgery, bone grafting and intricate facial reconstruction procedures. Richard E. Bauer, D.M.D., M.D., the founder of OFS Pittsburgh, is a highly credentialed, board-certified oral surgeon who is well regarded throughout the region for his clinical expertise, teaching endeavors and leadership in regional and national professional organizations. Recently OFS Pittsburgh has welcomed Craig Norbutt, D.M.D., M.D., as part of the team. Dr. Norbutt is a board certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon who has spent the past 11 years practicing in a Level – 1 Trauma Center and serving as the Associate Residency Director in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Clinical Professor in the Department of Surgery at the Illinois School of Medicine.

“Oral health is an important aspect of overall health,” Dr. Bauer explains. “This importance goes far beyond the ability to bite and chew food. The condition of your teeth affects your speech, appearance, food choices, confidence and self-esteem. It can impact your social life and your professional success. When you have bad teeth, you could feel self-conscious and avoid smiling and speaking to others. Our smile and facial expression are a part of how we present ourselves to the world.”

At OFS Pittsburgh, the patient experience begins at the very first phone call. Necessary information is gathered at this point in order to schedule the patient appropriately. “By doing this upfront, we are able to spend more time with the patient and individualize their care to meet their personal needs and goals,” Dr. Bauer says.

OFS Pittsburgh has the most technically advanced imaging equipment, the cone beam CT scanner, which provides a 3D image of bone and tooth structures, with low radiation levels. OFS Pittsburgh also specializes in IV sedation for many procedures, with a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist on the staff and the most advanced anesthesia equipment on site. The OFS Pittsburgh team also includes certified surgical technicians, oral surgery assistants, and registered nurses.

Dr. Bauer, a Pittsburgh native, is a graduate of the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Medicine and the School of Dental Medicine. He completed a six-year residency in oral and maxillofacial surgery at UPMC and later served as a faculty member and the director of the residency program. Being both an MD and a DMD is a great benefit for him and for his patients, he says. “Having gone to medical school helped to formalize my medical education. The link between oral health and other diseases is significant and underappreciated. I get to practice both medicine and dentistry. This is very useful for patients with complex needs. I really enjoy what I do; I might do a jaw reconstruction one day and the next day, a wisdom tooth extraction.”

The key to oral health, Dr. Bauer says, is prevention. “Prevention helps you keep your natural teeth and avoid costly, complicated problems later. The cost of dental care can be prohibitive and access to care is getting tougher for many people. There are rising costs for equipment and staffing, and the insurance companies are not keeping up with these trends.”

Nevertheless, there has been a revolution in dentistry in the past two decades, Dr. Bauer says. “New technologies are giving patients better quality and outcomes. Dental materials, radiology, and diagnostic procedures have all come very far, at a very fast pace. Now there are so many options for patients. No one should assume that they will have to live with conventional dentures; at a minimum we can put in two implants to secure a lower denture and improve function, for example.”

The importance of your teeth to your social experience and self-confidence cannot be overstated, Dr. Bauer believes. “With healthy teeth, you feel more attractive and you can meet people and smile without feeling like you have to hide your teeth. It can be life changing.”

To learn more about the services at OFS Pittsburgh, or to make an appointment, visit ofspittsburgh.com or call 412-532-9720.