Maxillofacial Prosthodontics

Maxillofacial prosthodontics is a specialized area of prosthodontics that can assist in replacing lost tissues and/or bone due to trauma, accidents, birth defects, cancer, etc. A maxillofacial prosthodontist is a specialist that works at restoring lost tissues or bone with the use of prosthetics and works to correct facial deformities. They also deal with dental implants, jaw deformities, jaw fractures, and dental bone grafts.

Maxillofacial prosthodontics is a specific area of prosthodontics that deals with the rehabilitation of patients who have lost tissue in the jaw and face. Protheses can help fill in missing areas of the face and jaw where tissues and bone have been lost. Prostheses may also be installed during radiation or chemotherapy for cancer patients to protect parts of the face. Maxillofacial prosthodontics is specifically geared towards helping patients restore their confidence and oral functions.

Maxillofacial prosthodontists often work cooperatively with plastic surgeons, ENT’s, speech pathologists, oral surgeons, regular dentists, and oncologists, to name a few. The overall goal of maxillofacial prosthodontists is to improve their patient’s quality of life and enhance the function of the teeth and jaw, allowing patients to eat, speak, and perform other daily activities with less difficulty.

Prosthetics created for patients by maxillofacial prosthodontists can generally fall into two main categories:

• Extraoral Prosthesis – this covers the palate when there’s a total loss of maxilla or because of a cleft palate. It restores teeth and gums and helps close the hole or defect to allow for swallowing, speaking, chewing, and eating.
• Intraoral Prosthesis – this is used inside the mouth to reconstruct intraoral defects. These may include missing teeth, parts of the teeth that are missing, and parts of the jaw and palate that are missing soft or hard structures.

As a board-certified prosthodontist, Dr. Christopher Sasik and his staff have the education and expertise to treat patients with complex maxillofacial issues. Metropolitan Prosthodontics has the technology and techniques to help patients restore dental uniformity and function.

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