Maxillofacial Surgery
Maxillofacial Surgery is a medical specialty dedicated to the diagnosis, surgical treatment and prevention of various diseases of the head and neck area, whether congenital or acquired throughout life. It is performed by a specialist surgeon in the field.
- Orthognathic surgery
- Oral and jaw surgery
- Facial trauma surgery
- Temporomandibular disorders and orofacial pain
- Cleft lip and palate and other craniofacial malformations
Orthognathic Surgery
Orthognathic Surgery is a surgical procedure that consists of correcting dysmorphia of the face in which the maxillary bones are poorly positioned, implying alterations in dental occlusion and mastication, speech, breathing and the harmony and beauty of the face.
In the initial consultation, a thorough assessment is carried out and each case is guided specifically according to your needs. We work together with Dental Medicine, Physiotherapy and, sometimes, other specialties, for the integral treatment of each patient.
Surgery may involve repositioning the jaw, mandible and/or chin. Sometimes additional procedures are also indicated to obtain the best functional and aesthetic result.
Oral and jaw Surgery
Oral and jaw Surgery consists of the diagnosis and treatment of benign pathologies of the oral cavity and jaws, namely cysts and benign tumors, lesions of the oral cavity and also extraction of wisdom teeth.
Facial trauma surgery
Facial trauma surgery consists of the surgical correction of facial fractures caused by various mechanisms, namely road accidents, interpersonal violence, falls or sports. It is usually an emergency surgery due to the rapid need to restore lost body function.
However, certain more complex cases may have sequelae that require further treatment in order to achieve the best aesthetic and functional result, such as, for example, through reconstruction of soft or bone tissues and orthognathic surgery.
Temporomandibular disorders and orofacial pain
Temporomandibular disorder refers to a very comprehensive group of pathologies that involve the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) and all associated structures, such as, for example, the masticatory muscles, dental occlusion and the cervical spine.
It is one of the most common causes of chronic orofacial pain affecting the patient's quality of life.
Its treatment is multidisciplinary involving different specialties such as Physiotherapy, Maxillofacial Surgery, Dental Medicine, Neurology, Speech Therapy, Psychiatry, Psychology, Nutrition, among others.
Maxillofacial Surgery is responsible for surgical treatment, when indicated. This may consist of minimally invasive procedures such as the application of botulinum toxin in the masticatory muscles and arthrocentesis of the TMJ with the application of intra-articular products (eg hyaluronic acid or PRP - platelet-rich plasma), or joint surgery via arthroscopy or open , in case of more serious pathologies.
Cleft lip and palate and other craniofacial malformations
Maxillofacial Surgery is also involved in the treatment of various congenital craniofacial malformations such as cleft lip and palate and Pierre-Robin sequence. These are usually pathologies that require a multidisciplinary hospital treatment, given their complexity.
Cleft lip and palate is the most frequent congenital deformity of the face, affecting about 1 in every 700 births in Portugal. Maxillofacial Surgery is responsible for correcting poor positioning of the jaws through orthognathic surgery, which can occur in a large percentage of cases, depending on the type of cleft. It also collaborates in other bone surgeries that may be necessary throughout the child's development, such as maxillary bone graft surgery.
