Maxillofacial Prosthodontics

Maxillofacial prosthodontics helps people with damage or irregularities in structures of the face, jaw, mouth or neck. It reconstructs these areas with surgical procedures involving prostheses to repair congenital abnormalities and problems caused by disease or injury.

These issues can significantly impact an individual’s quality of life. They affect facial appearance as well as oral functionality. This can result in psychological challenges such as low self-esteem and difficulties with social integration. Plymouth prosthodontist Metropolitan Prosthodontics provides the solution. It replaces missing bone and soft tissues to correct facial disfigurement and resolve difficulties with speech and eating.

What is Maxillofacial Prosthodontics?

Maxillofacial prosthodontics is a subspecialty of prosthodontics. It rehabilitates individuals with disabilities or defects in the maxillofacial region – the part of the face from the maxilla (upper jaw) downward.

These issues may have been present from birth or they’ve developed because of trauma or disease. They include problems with:

  • Bones and soft tissues of the jaw and lower face.
  • The palate (roof of the mouth).
  • Teeth.

Maxillofacial reconstructive surgery is performed by our highly trained oral and maxillofacial surgeons in Plymouth. They use a variety of maxillofacial procedures that ease pain, fix deformities, and restore function of the jaw and mouth in people of all ages.

Maxillofacial Collaborations

Maxillofacial prosthodontists work as part of a team of general dentists and medical specialists including:

  • Plastic surgeons.
  • Ear, nose and throat (ENT) consultants.
  • Neurologists.
  • Oncologists.
  • Speech therapists.

Maxillofacial Prosthodontic Procedures

Maxillofacial prosthodontics is a surgical specialty that involves removal, repair and readjustment of hard and soft tissues. Surgical procedures in maxillofacial prosthodontics benefit people with problems such as congenital abnormalities like cleft palate or cleft lip. Maxillofacial prosthodontics also treats facial fractures and diagnoses and treats tumors, cysts and other growths.

Dental Procedures

Maxillofacial surgery diagnoses and treats a broad range of dental problems and conditions. It’s used to:

  • Determine the cause of chronic dental pain.
  • Detect signs of oral cancer.
  • Prepare the mouth for prostheses such as dental implants or dentures.
  • Place dental implants.
  • Extract impacted teeth.
  • Treat oral diseases.

Maxillofacial Procedures for Jaw Problems

Maxillofacial prosthodontics addresses concerns with the jaw with various surgical procedures, including:

  • Bone grafting to replace missing jawbone.
  • Jaw reconstruction to correct an abnormal bite.
  • Treating disorders of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), where the lower jaw attaches to the skull.
  • Treating physical injuries to the face, jaw and mouth.

Types of Maxillofacial Prostheses

A range of custom prostheses are used in maxillofacial prosthodontics to restore function in areas where bone and soft tissue are missing. Maxillofacial prostheses also resolve aesthetic issues, and prosthetic implants are further used to provide protection during radiation treatment. Maxillofacial prostheses are categorized as either extraoral prostheses or intraoral prostheses.

Extraoral Prostheses

Extraoral prostheses correct a cleft palate by restoring gum tissue, teeth, and missing structure in the roof of the mouth.

They’re also used to:

  • Replace an eye and surrounding tissues.
  • Replace the nose.
  • Replace midfacial structures.
  • Protect healthy tissues during radiation therapy.

Intraoral Prostheses

Intraoral prostheses called palatal obturators are placed in the palate after surgery has restored upper jaw structure. Like extraoral prostheses, intraoral prostheses can also be used as a radiation shield.

Other types of intraoral prostheses include:

  • Mandibular resection prosthesis to replace a missing section of jawbone.
  • Fluoride carrier – a tray loaded with fluoride gel to help individuals with dry mouth (xerostomia).
  • Commissure splint to minimize postsurgical contraction in patients with scleroderma.

What Happens Before Maxillofacial Surgery?

Whether maxillofacial surgery is necessary is determined with the help of diagnostic procedures such as X-rays or 3D scans to get detailed images of the maxillofacial structures. If you need maxillofacial surgery, your surgeon will examine your mouth and surrounding areas. They’ll also ask about your symptoms and medical history and whether you’re currently taking any medications.

What Happens During Maxillofacial Surgery?

Maxillofacial surgery varies widely depending on the problem and the procedure. In some cases, treatments may involve multiple surgeries. Maxillofacial surgery can be performed with general anesthetic or local anesthesia with the option of dental sedation. Some procedures can be done in an outpatient setting, and you can go home the same day. Your surgeon may use stitches to close the surgical wound and place packing in your mouth to absorb fluids such as blood and pus.

What Happens After Maxillofacial Surgery?

Recovery after maxillofacial prosthodontic surgery depends on the type of procedure. You can expect some discomfort, sensitivity, swelling and bleeding for a few days at least. You’ll be given specific instructions if you need to avoid certain foods and activities for a while. Pain relief can be prescribed to help keep you comfortable, and applying an ice pack will reduce inflammation. You should avoid alcohol and tobacco products and get plenty of rest and rinse your teeth for three or four days instead of brushing them. If the procedure involved stitches, they’ll either dissolve or be removed in about a week.

Are There Risks with Maxillofacial Prosthodontics?

Maxillofacial prosthodontics permanently relieves pain and improves appearance and function. However, as with any type of surgery, there are certain risks and potential complications, including infection and excessive bleeding. A further risk after maxillofacial surgery is dry socket – a painful condition when blood fails to clot after tooth extraction. Other complications include possible nerve damage resulting in numbness or changes in sensation in the mouth or other areas of the face.

Who Can Benefit from Maxillofacial Prosthodontics?

Individuals who benefit from maxillofacial prosthodontics include those who’ve been injured in an accident or have had diseased tissues surgically removed. Others have a neuromuscular disorder such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or have had a stroke that’s affected muscles. In some cases, maxillofacial prosthodontics provides the solution when children are born without fully developed palates or ears. Oral cancer patients can also have healthy structures of the mouth protected with a maxillofacial prosthesis during radiation therapy.

Benefits of Maxillofacial Prosthodontics at Metropolitan Prosthodontics

Metropolitan Prosthodontics in Plymouth MN performs many types of maxillofacial prosthodontic procedures. But they share one thing in common - they all improve patients’ quality of life and increase confidence. Maxillofacial prosthodontics also enables people with oral or facial problems to go about their daily life with greater functionality in swallowing, speaking, and chewing.

Contact us if you’d like to find out more about the benefits of maxillofacial prosthodontics at your Plymouth prosthodontist.