Oral and maxillofacial surgery requires additional years of hospital-based surgical and anesthesia training after graduation from dental school. As oral and maxillofacial surgeons, Dr. Weber manage a wide variety of problems relating to the mouth, teeth and facial regions. Dr. Weber practice a full scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery with expertise ranging from dental implant surgery and wisdom tooth removal to corrective jaw surgery. This also includes techniques designed to rebuild bone structure with minimal surgical intervention and optimal patient comfort. We can also diagnose and treat facial pain, facial injuries, and fractures.

The surgical staff at Waco Oral Surgery are experienced, certified oral and maxillofacial surgical assistants, who assist in administration of IV sedation and surgery. All staff are informed administrative personnel, well-versed in health and insurance policies, and are CPR certified.

Oral and maxillofacial surgery requires up to 6 additional years of hospital based surgical and anesthesia training. As oral and maxillofacial surgeons, our doctors treats a wide variety of problems relating to the mouth, teeth and facial regions. Our surgeons practice a full scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery with expertise in corrective jaw surgery, wisdom tooth removal and oral pathology. They can also diagnose and treat facial pain, facial injuries and perform a full range of dental implant procedures.

Our staff is trained in assisting our surgeons with IV sedation within our office setting. Patients are continuously monitored during and after surgery. In addition, general anesthesia provided by a board-certified anesthesiologist is available within our facility.

Dr. Ryan Weber is a Board Certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon. He was born and raised in Austin, TX. Dr. Weber moved to Waco to attend Baylor University where he graduated with a bachelor in science in Biology. Afterwards, he attended dental school at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston.

Following dental school he then earned a medical degree from the University of Mississippi. Dr. Weber continued his studies in Mississippi to complete a general surgery internship and finally Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery residency. During his training, he was taught broad and complex aspects of oral maxillofacial surgery and received excellent training in implantology, orthognathic surgery, TMJ surgery, pathology, trauma, reconstruction, and anesthesia.

Over a period of time, the jawbone associated with missing teeth atrophies is reabsorbed. This often leaves a condition in which there is poor quality and quantity of bone suitable for placement of dental implants. In these situations, most patients are not candidates for placement of dental implants.

With bone grafting, we now have the opportunity to not only replace bone where it is missing, but also the ability to promote new bone growth in that location! This not only gives us the opportunity to place implants of proper length and width, it also gives us a chance to restore functionality and esthetic appearance.

Autogenous bone grafts, also known as autografts, are made from your own bone, taken from somewhere else in the body. The bone is typically harvested from the chin, jaw, lower leg bone, hip, or the skull. Autogenous bone grafts are advantageous in that the graft material is live bone, meaning it contains living cellular elements that enhance bone growth.

However, one downside to the autograft is that it requires a second procedure to harvest bone from elsewhere in the body. Depending on your condition, a second procedure may not be in your best interest.

Allogenic bone, or allograft, is dead bone harvested from a cadaver, then processed using a freeze-dry method to extract the water via a vacuum. Unlike autogenous bone, allogenic bone cannot produce new bone on its own. Rather, it serves as a framework or scaffold over which bone from the surrounding bony walls can grow to fill the defect or void.

Graft composites consist of other bone graft materials and growth factors to achieve the benefits of a variety of substances. Some combinations may include: collagen/ceramic composite, which closely resembles the composition of natural bone, DBM combined with bone marrow cells, which aid in the growth of new bone, or a collagen/ceramic/autograft composite.

As a substitute to using real bone, many synthetic materials are available as a safe and proven alternative, including: Demineralized Bone Matrix (DBM)/Demineralized Freeze-Dried Bone Allograft (DFDBA). This product is processed allograft bone, containing collagen, proteins, and growth factors that are extracted from the allograft bone. It is available in the form of powder, putty, chips, or as a gel that can be injected through a syringe.

Xenogenic bone is derived from non-living bone of another species, usually a cow. The bone is processed at very high temperatures to avoid the potential for immune rejection and contamination. Like allogenic grafts, xenogenic grafts serve as a framework for bone from the surrounding area to grow and fill the void.

Both allogenic and xenogenic bone grafting are advantageous in that they do not require a second procedure to harvest your own bone, as with autografts. However, because these options lack autografts bone-forming properties, bone regeneration may take longer than with autografts, with a less predictable outcome.

Synthetic materials also have the advantage of not requiring a second procedure to harvest bone, reducing risk and pain. Each bone grafting option has its own risks and benefits. Dr. Weber will determine which type of bone graft material is right for you.