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Southern Cross Christchurch Hospital - Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

Private Surgical Service, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

This is where you will come to have your surgery performed. The visits to your surgeon before and after surgery will be at their consulting rooms.

Description

Southern Cross Hospital in Christchurch is the largest hospital within our national network.

Owned by Southern Cross since 1979, the centrally situated hospital campus includes one of the biggest and most advanced private surgical hospitals in the South Island.

The Christchurch hospital campus has seen significant upgrades and new facilities in recent years, and typically provides services to around 9,500 patients each year. Facilities include digital operating theatres, an advanced 'hybrid' operating room, systems for robotically-assisted surgery, advanced digital scanning technologies, consulting facilities and a purpose built endoscopy centre.

Dental Team

Services Provided

Dental implants

Gum tissue at the site of the implant is opened up to expose the bone. The bone is drilled and a titanium implant is inserted where the root of your tooth had been. Once the bone and gum has healed (3-6 months), the post is attached to the implant and the crown is placed over the post and cemented into place.

Gum tissue at the site of the implant is opened up to expose the bone. The bone is drilled and a titanium implant is inserted where the root of your tooth had been. Once the bone and gum has healed (3-6 months), the post is attached to the implant and the crown is placed over the post and cemented into place.

Salivary gland surgery

There are three large pairs of glands (parotid, sublingual and submandibular) in your mouth that produce saliva which helps break down food as part of the digestion process. Salivary gland surgery involves the removal of one or more of the salivary glands for reasons including: tumours (benign or cancerous), chronic infections or blockages, salivary stones or injuries or cysts. Care is taken to avoid damaging nearby nerves, especially those that control facial movement.

There are three large pairs of glands (parotid, sublingual and submandibular) in your mouth that produce saliva which helps break down food as part of the digestion process.

Salivary gland surgery involves the removal of one or more of the salivary glands for reasons including: tumours (benign or cancerous), chronic infections or blockages, salivary stones or injuries or cysts.

Care is taken to avoid damaging nearby nerves, especially those that control facial movement.

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) surgery

Arthroscopic: several small incisions (cuts) are made over the joint in front of the ear. A small telescopic instrument with a tiny camera attached (arthroscope) is inserted, allowing the surgeon a view of the joint. Small instruments can be inserted into the other cuts to free up the joint by e.g. removing adhesions and scarring, or repositioning a disc. Arthroplasty (open surgery): an incision is made in front of the ear, giving the surgeon access to reconstruct the joint by e.g. smoothing joint surfaces, repairing discs or removing diseased tissue. If a joint replacement is necessary, a second incision under the angle of the jaw may be required.

Arthroscopic: several small incisions (cuts) are made over the joint in front of the ear. A small telescopic instrument with a tiny camera attached (arthroscope) is inserted, allowing the surgeon a view of the joint. Small instruments can be inserted into the other cuts to free up the joint by e.g. removing adhesions and scarring, or repositioning a disc.

Arthroplasty (open surgery): an incision is made in front of the ear, giving the surgeon access to reconstruct the joint by e.g. smoothing joint surfaces, repairing discs or removing diseased tissue. If a joint replacement is necessary, a second incision under the angle of the jaw may be required.

Wisdom tooth and impacted tooth extraction

Wisdom teeth are the third molars right at the back of your mouth. They usually appear during your late teens or early twenties. If there is not enough room in your mouth they may partially erupt through the gum or not at all. This is referred to as an impacted wisdom tooth. Due to their location wisdom teeth can be difficult to clean and are more susceptible to decay, gum disease and recurrent infections. They can cause crowding of teeth and, on rare occasions, cysts and tumours develop around them. Your dentist will advise if some or all of your wisdom teeth need to be removed. Wisdom teeth will usually only be removed if your dentist believes they will be a significant compromise to your oral health. Impacted tooth extraction Your dentist may recommend extraction if you are at significantly greater risk of infection or tooth decay. Impacted teeth may be removed by your dentist or they may refer you to an oral & maxillofacial surgeon. An incision (cut) is made in your gum and access to the impacted tooth cleared by pushing aside gum tissue and, if necessary, removing some bone. The tooth is removed whole or in pieces and the gum stitched together over the hole.

Wisdom teeth are the third molars right at the back of your mouth. They usually appear during your late teens or early twenties. If there is not enough room in your mouth they may partially erupt through the gum or not at all. This is referred to as an impacted wisdom tooth. 

Due to their location wisdom teeth can be difficult to clean and are more susceptible to decay, gum disease and recurrent infections. They can cause crowding of teeth and, on rare occasions, cysts and tumours develop around them.

Your dentist will advise if some or all of your wisdom teeth need to be removed.  Wisdom teeth will usually only be removed if your dentist believes they will be a significant compromise to your oral health.

Impacted tooth extraction

Your dentist may recommend extraction if you are at significantly greater risk of infection or tooth decay.  Impacted teeth may be removed by your dentist or they may refer you to an oral & maxillofacial surgeon.

An incision (cut) is made in your gum and access to the impacted tooth cleared by pushing aside gum tissue and, if necessary, removing some bone. The tooth is removed whole or in pieces and the gum stitched together over the hole.

Visiting Hours

Weekdays 8:00 to 20:00
Weekends 8:00 to 20:00

Public Transport

The Christchurch City Council provides good public transport information. See here

Parking

Over 60 parking spaces are provided for patients and visitors.

Contact Details

131 Bealey Avenue
Christchurch Central
Christchurch
Canterbury 8013

Information about this location

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Get directions

Street Address

131 Bealey Avenue
Christchurch Central
Christchurch
Canterbury 8013

Postal Address

P.O. Box 21-096,
Edgeware,
Christchurch, 8143

This page was last updated at 1:50PM on May 22, 2025. This information is reviewed and edited by Southern Cross Christchurch Hospital - Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery.