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Reconstructive surgery to fix broken facial bones or damaged soft tissues after trauma.
People involved in falls, assaults, workplace injuries, sporting injuries or motor vehicle accidents often suffer facial trauma which can affect the outer soft tissues (skin, muscle, nerve), but also the bones of the face including:
- Nasal bones (nose)
- Maxilla (‘top jaw’)
- Mandible (‘bottom jaw’)
- Zygoma (‘cheekbones’)
- Orbit (‘eye sockets’)
These complex injuries require accurate and prompt assessment by a Facial Trauma Surgeon such as Dr Harish, who specialises in facial soft tissue and bone injury. Dr Harish holds prestigious clinical appointments at trauma centres in Sydney where he carries out broken eye socket surgery, broken jaw surgery, broken cheekbone surgery and broken nose surgery with the goal of restoring facial appearance and function.
Following an incident or accident, patients with facial injuries will usually require x-rays or a CT scan. Dr Harish is extensively trained in the diagnosis and management of all types of facial fractures, so treatment is individualised and tailored to the underlying injury.
Broken Jaw Surgery
Broken jaws often result in:
- Teeth not meeting correctly or the bite being ‘off’ (‘malocclusion’)
- Numbness in the lower lip, chin or teeth
- Loose or mobile teeth
- Bleeding within the mouth
Broken jaw surgery involves using small plates and screws to hold bones in alignment to allow the jaw to heal. Most incisions are made inside the mouth so there is often no external scar. People are placed on a soft non-chew diet for several weeks to allow bones to heal.
Broken Cheekbone and Broken Eye Socket Surgery
Fractures of the zygoma (cheekbone) and orbit (eye socket) may result in:
- Double vision (‘diplopia’)
- Numbness in the cheek, upper lip or teeth
- Flattening of the cheekbone
- Difficulty opening the mouth and/or chewing (‘trismus’)
Like broken jaw surgery, broken cheekbone surgery involves using small plates and screws to hold the cheek bone in alignment. Incisions are placed in special remote locations to avoid incisions on the face. Broken eye socket surgery involves reconstructing the broken eye socket with a special implant.
Most facial trauma procedures are day surgery or involve an overnight stay.
All surgery carries risks. Images displayed are educational and illustrative, and do not necessarily reflect universal outcomes.