Craniofacial Surgery
Craniofacial surgery is a sub speciality of plastic surgery that addresses congenital and acquired deformities of the skull, face, jaws and bone, not including the brain or the eye. Craniofacial surgeries are not tissue specific and they aim to improve structural dysfunctions and therefore appearance of an individual to the most optimal level. This boosts self confidence and social acceptance in patients. Most craniofacial surgeries repair defects like craniosynostosis (early closing of one or more of the sutures of an infant's head), chronic and acute sequellae of fractures in the face, micrognathia (abnormally small lower jaw), cleft lip and palate, and rare craniofacial clefts, to name a few. The introduction of internal fixation systems that use screws and plates has greatly facilitated congenital reconstructions as well as correction of traumatic fractures. Post surgery care needs to be done for several years, especially in children, to avoid asymmetries as they grow.
