The oral and maxillofacial regions have numerous tissue types and intricate anatomical structures that serve essential health and aesthetic purposes. Bioactive materials with the potential to treat oral and maxillofacial diseases include biodegradable metals (BMs). The current state of research on BMs for oral and maxillofacial applications as well as potential future research directions are outlined in this summary. Bone fracture fixation systems based on Mg- and Zn based BMs, as well as guided bone regeneration (GBR) membranes, are the subject of in-depth discussion. Clinical translation holds great promise for Zn-based BMs with superior mechanical properties for GBR membranes and a moderate degradation rate.