Maxillofacial and Jaw Surgery in India with Top Surgeons and Best Hospitals
Overview
A beautiful face adorned with striking features is everyone’s dream. But when any injury or deformity damages a person’s beauty, it is very burdening and demotivating for that person. The jaw is considered as the foundation of our facial structure. If this part gets misaligned by any chance – either a jaw that is protruded outward or recessed inward) – it affects the overall health. Furthermore, this condition may seem to be simple or but there has been a lot of research done on this, which shows that such patients suffer not only from the physical trauma but are very vulnerable to psychological and emotional problems, as well.
The surgical specialty that address such conditions is Oral and Dental Surgery. This area has undergone dramatic evolution and Maxillofacial Surgery comes under its umbrella. It is also referred to as Oral Surgery, Facial Surgery, Oral and Maxillofacial, or Maxillo-facial surgery. This area of surgery focuses on addressing problems affecting regions like the face, jaw, head, neckand sinuses. To be more specific, ‘Maxillo’ refers to the maxillae, which are the two maxillary bones, which make up the upper palate – roof of the mouth and the upper jaw. ‘Facial’include the structures of the face.
This branch of surgery is concerned with procedures that manage and cure ailments and trauma caused to the head – however this does not include issues related to the Brain. The treatment and surgeries that come under this arena are performed by specialists known as Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Not only this, these surgeons may also perform surgeries to help the sinuses function in a better way, to reconstruct broken and damaged bones, or to enhance the appearance of congenital defects like a Cleft Palate.
Additionally, there is some linkage between the work of Otolaryngologists, who are also called ENT specialists(Ears, Nose, and Throat). The difference between Maxillofacial Surgeons and the ENT specialists is that Maxillofacial surgeons mostly perform surgeries that involve bones; whereas, ENT specialists mostly work on tissue structures. However, this differentiation is not fixed, as there is often an overlap between surgeons specializing in Oral Surgery, and those who specifically treat issues in the Oral Cavity (mouth).Thus, in many cases, both Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons have to work in collaboration with various types of specialists such as ENT surgeons, Orthodontists, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons as well as Oncologists too. This type of collaboration facilitates and maximizes the treatment of major conditions and ailments affecting or damaging the face, mouth, and jaws.
So, a patient may have been born with a misaligned jaw, but he or she definitely doesn’t have to live with it.
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Why is Maxillofacial Surgery required?
There is a wide range of Oral and Maxillofacial procedures that can be done on an outpatient basis under local anaesthesia; which are:
- Pre-implant surgery – placement of Dental/facial implants,
- Removal of impacted teeth
- Intra-oral and facial soft tissue procedures
The more major or critical surgeries, like, for example, those for Salivary Gland disease, trauma, Cancer or facial deformity, are performed on an inpatient basisunder general anaesthesia.
These surgeries are done to manage:
- Facial injuries, treatment of complicated Craniofacial fractures and soft tissue injuries of the face, mouth, and neck
- Head and Neck cancer, to reach the tumours located within the depths of the intricate Craniofacial anatomy, and ablation of tumours, which includes Neck dissections
- Reconstructive surgery, which includes microvascular free tissue transfer
- Orthognathic surgery to correct facial disproportion
- Pre-implant surgery, including the usage of implants in order to retain facial or dental prostheses and associated bone grafting techniques as part of oro-facial reconstruction.
- Removal of impacted teeth and complex buried dental roots.
- Removal of cysts and tumours of the jaws
- Primary and secondary surgery for cleft lip and palate, and other congenital facial deformities
- Management of benign and malignant lesions of the salivary glands.
- Removal of complex facial skin tumours and reconstruction
- Cosmetic surgery including Facelifts, Eyelid and Brow surgery and Rhinoplasties
- Temporomandibular joint procedure
Preparation prior to the Surgery
Before the actual procedure, the surgeon places braces on the teeth, which is done about 12-18 months before the surgery. This is done so that the teeth are aligned and are in level. Generally, an Orthodontist and a Maxillofacial surgeon work together during the planning stage of this surgery. There are some pre-surgery tests that are recommended, which include:
- X-rays
- Models and pictures of the teeth
- Three-dimensional CT Scanning
- Blood tests (Blood Count - CBC is the most commonly recommended)
How is Maxillofacial Surgery done?
In a Maxillofacial surgery, the jawbones of a patient are repositioned according to his or her preferences. Bones are added or removed or reshaped in some cases. During this surgery, the surgeon uses screws, wires, surgical plates, and rubber bands to hold the jaws aptly in the new position. Very often, a Maxillofacial Surgery is done by making an incision inside the patient’s mouth, in order to reduce visible scarring. Though this is possible, but still there are cases, where there are incisions needed outside the mouth on the face.
Our jaw consists of two main parts: the upper jaw or the maxilla and the lower jaw or the mandible. The surgeries that are done to handle abnormalities in these parts, include:
- Maxillary (Upper Jaw) Osteotomy: This procedure is beneficial, when the patient particularly has a receded jaw, cross bite, or when he or she has too few or too many teeth showing. An open bite can also be adjusted through this surgery. A cut is made through the gum above your upper teeth to gain access to the jawbone. The upper jaw is then cut with a small saw to allow it to be broken in a controlled manner. It is then moved into its new position and held in place with small metal plates and screws. The gum is stitched back into place with dissolvable stitches that can take a fortnight or even longer to fall out.
- Mandibular Osteotomy (Lower Jaw): This surgery addresses a significantly receded lower jaw. In this, the surgeon shifts the jawbone backwards or forward,by evaluating the best possible adjustment and bite alignment
- Genioplasty (Chin): A deficient chin often comes with an extremely receded lower jaw. For this, the surgeons can adjust the jaw and restructure the chin within the same surgery
Once the patient’s jaw is aligned, plates and tiny screws are used to hold the bone into apt position. These plates and screws are Osseo integrated and are specifically formulated to be companionable with the body. As time passes, they become integrated with the bone and thus, do not have to be removed. In case, there is insufficient bone, extra bone can also be added to the jaw. This can be done by grafting from the patient’s leg, hip, or rib.
There are some major and complicated surgeries, which are highly specialized and require collaboration between the Maxillofacial surgeries and other specialists:
- Craniofacial surgery for congenital issues
- Cancer and injuries, which involve the skull base; in this they work with Neurosurgeons
- Facial surgery for Cancer, this often required the Maxillofacial surgeons to work with Oncologists, ENT surgeons, and Dental experts
- Skin Cancer surgery procedure, in this they work Dermatologists
Oral and Maxillofacial surgeons attend to patients belonging to all agegroups – from newborn babies to elderly people. They cure children, who are born with or develop deformities of skull or face that includes cleft lip/palate. A lot of their work is with young adults that involves surgery, after an injury or accident. When it comes to the older population, they often cure Oral Cancer and skin tumours of the head and face.In addition to performing these surgeries, Oral and Maxillofacial surgeons also handle the non-surgical management of conditions like oral mucosal disease, facial pain, and infections.
This field has evolved rapidly, looking at the different conditions that the patients are suffering from. Be it the surgical equipment or the surgical approaches – everything has been upgraded to match the needs of the ailing patients. Today, three-dimensional Radiographic Anatomical Displays (CT scans), and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI scans) allow the surgeons to get the most accurate and thorough three dimensional images of the interior of patients’ Head and Neck’s pathology and anatomy. These images help the surgeons to plan the surgery well in advance and the accuracy level goes up too.
The Recovery Period
The recovery for any surgery depends and varies from patient to patient. When it comes to the hospital stay, it might be for a day or two. The surgeon takes X-ray of the jaw’s position and if everything goes alright, then the patient is discharged. Initially, its only liquid diet that is allowed. Then, soft diet is permitted and gradually, the patient can start with his or her normal diet routine.
Also, in the matter of work, it depends on what kind of job profile the patient is into. Mostly, it is recommended that the patients take about three weeks off from their work. Also, it is important to keep in mind that the patient is not supposed to drive or operate any machinery within 48 hours after the surgery. Further, the top lip might be numb and there might be tingling sensation. This is normal and may take some weeks to go away. Any doubt or inhibitions can be cleared during the follow-up visits, which are a must for the patient.
Post-surgical Care for Maxillofacial Surgery
After a Maxillofacial Surgery, the post-surgical care includes the following:
- Medications
- Pain medications
- Nasal spray is given to help improve breathing
- Decongestants remove stiffness of the nose and sinuses
- Antibiotics must be taken dedicatedly as instructed
- Lip ointment
- It is difficult to have full meals like the patient usual has; so, it is better to have smaller portions of food at regular intervals; also, the food items must be pureed
- Maintain hygiene as much as possible
- It is important to clean or rinse the mouth every time the patient eats anything
- Cleaning with warm salt water can be helpful
- Pressure dressing or bandages are applied to reduce bleeding and swelling; it depends on what kind of surgery the patient has had
- Physical exercise can be started after 2-3 weeks post-surgery; initially, the patient must indulge into very light form of exercises or activities
- Jaw exercises can be started after about four weeks of the surgery
- The patient is guided about the different types of jaw exercises to boost recovery
Risks or Complications associated with this Surgery
This surgery is mostly very safe but still there are some risks that come with this procedure:
- Loss of blood
- Infection
- Jaw fracture
- Nerve damage or injury
- Relapse of the jaw to the original position
- Issues with bite fit and jaw joint pain
- Need for another surgery
- Requirement for Root Canal Therapy on few teeth
- Loss of a part of the jaw
A Journey to get the perfect Jaws with Maxillofacial Jaw Surgery in India
Samar Nvabi, Saudi Arabia
"My experience with the surgeons at this hospital has been really satisfactory. I was having so much of problem because of the misalignment of my jaw that it was not just causing me physical pain, but was also costing me self confidence because of the way my face structure looked. But, the doctors in one the best hospitals in India performed my surgery with such a successful result that I would forever be thankful to them for making me feel normal again with no more pains. Now, I walk around with confidence knowing that my face structure looks completely normal, just like others."
Benefits of Maxillofacial Surgery
A misaligned jaw is unquestionably something that we don’t want, as it badly hampers the facial appearance. A Maxillofacial Surgery is a huge ray of hope for such patients as it addresses this problem and dramatically enhances the overall look and other aspects.
This surgery can be extremely beneficial for the below mentioned issues:
Chewing: It is obvious that a misaligned jaw would create issues for the patient with chewing or swallowing food. In this matter, a Maxillofacial surgery can provide great relief. Correcting this jaw problem makes daily activities like eating, a more hassle-free process
Speech: A misalignment jaw and set of teeth can definitely affects the speech capabilities. This is a big issue that hampers the patient’s ability to coordinate with the people around him or her. More specifically, for children it is very crucial while they are learning to speak. A Maxillofacial surgery can enhance the speech and the associated inconvenience can be avoided.
Headaches: In maximum cases of a misaligned jaw, patients suffer from severe headaches. Corrective jaw surgery can eliminatethis pain and the patient might not need to take many pain related medications
Sleeping: There are patients, who have a jaw, which recesses inward, or which is protruded outward. These patients are mouth breathers and may experience issues while sleeping and breathing. Maxillofacial surgery is an extremely efficient option to get respite from problems like Sleep Apnoea. Thus, the patient can enjoy better sleep, take adequate rest, an enjoy a productive lifestyle
Joint pain: Due to the misaligned jaw, the patient might suffer from excruciating and chronic jaw pain. But with maxillofacial surgery, he or she gets relief from this pain. A misaligned jaw may also cause a patient’s teeth to remain as under because of which the mouth stays open to some extent, which is odd. It leads to putting additional strain and pressure on teeth. Jaw surgery can help in getting utmost relief from this pressure and makes the patient feel comfortable
Why India is apt for availing Maxillofacial Surgery?
The dawn of Medical Tourism has given a golden opportunity to countless patients to avail different forms of treatment and surgeries, in countries other than their own. Not many countries have been able to upgrade their healthcare system to an extent to be in the league of Medical Tourism destinations. In this matter, India has gone ahead and left many of her contemporaries behind. Time and again India has proved herself as the best choice for treatment venue for countless patients.
Likewise, for an advanced surgery like Maxillofacial Surgery too, India can be the best treatment venue. This is because of many factors but one of the key factors is the presence of the state-of-the-art hospitals, with all the treatment related requisites. These award-winning hospitals are very appropriately geared to handle to huge inflow of patients. Not only from India but a major chunk of international patients too, trust India for getting the relevant treatment, because of these reputed hospitals.
Each and every kind of advanced treatment methodology is implemented at these hospitals. So, for Maxillofacial Surgery too, there are many hospitals, which can provide a complete treatment experience. Hospitals such as:
- Apollo Hospitals
- Fortis Hospitals
- Sri Ramakrishna Hospital, Coimbatore
- Sant Parmanand Hospital, Delhi
- Ganga Hospital,
- Narayana Health, Bengaluru
- Max Healthcare, Delhi
- SevenHills Hospital, Mumbai
- Dr. Mehta’s Hospitals, Chennai
- MIOT Hospitals, Chennai
- Sakra World Hospital, Bengaluru
- Balaji Dental and Craniofacial Hospital, Chennai
A Maxillofacial Surgery is definitely one of the most delicate surgeries in which the patients are expecting the best outcome. Also, the surgeons have to keep in mind that the cosmetic outcome too is very important as well, which is why the surgeons have to be very careful. The surgical proficiency in this matter, is of extremely importance and this is where the Indian surgeons have carved a niche for themselves successfully. The Maxillofacial Surgeons in India are highly trained and have attained several years of experience to deal with such surgeries with utmost fluency. Thanks to these surgeons, the success rate of Maxillofacial Surgery is known and respected all over the world.
Some of the most respected and accomplished surgeons of Maxillofacial Surgery in India, are:
- Dr. Anirban Sengupta
- Dr. Girish Rao
- Dr. Suresh V
- Dr. S. M. Balaji
- Dr. Mridul Seth
- Dr. Anshul Singhal
- Dr. Anurag Singh
- Dr. Manoj Goyal
- Dr. Ajay Mathur
- Dr. Vivek Soni
- Dr. S. S. Khambey
- Dr. Srijon Mukherjee
- Dr. Kamlesh Kothari
Surely, a surgery like Maxillofacial Surgery is a very cutting edge procedure with excellent outcome and a successful track record. Owing to the wide-ranging benefits that it brings, it is in high demand. However, the expenses involved in a modern surgery like this one, are generally skyrocketing, which makes it difficult for the patients to avail it. However, if the patients choose India as their treatment destination for Maxillofacial Surgery, then, they can get huge cost benefits as compared to other countries. Not only this, the medical tourists are attended to with utmost dedication and they do not have go through a lengthy waiting period.
So that these foreign nationals have a hassle free treatment experience in India, Forerunners Healthcare is there to plan and supervise each and every aspect of this whole process. It is the first government authorized Medical Tourism Organization in India. Over the years, the organization has gathered thorough experience by handling numerous cases of such international patients. There is an array of services or facilities that are provided by the organization, which covers everything that a patient might require while on his or her medical tour to India. The team works most committedly so that these patients get supreme care and are back home completely cured.
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