Maxillofacial Prosthodontics

Maxillofacial prosthetics: What it can do for those living with cancer, trauma, defects, and more

Performed only by highly trained specialists, maxillofacial prosthetics is a safe, accredited method to address a wide range of complicated dental-related issues

Do you have an acquired or congenital defect in your head or neck areas? If you are living with minor to major functional disabilities and cosmetic disfigurements in these areas, maxillofacial prosthetics is a specialty branch of dentistry which could offer the rehabilitation you have been looking for.

Performed only by highly-trained and certified specialists like Dr. Joseph DiFazio, DMD, FACP, maxillofacial prosthetics is a dentistry specialty developed in the 1960s which has been improved by the refinement of bone-anchored prostheses for the face and adjacent areas of the body. The procedure has been practiced in the United States for more than five decades and is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for general use.

Maxillofacial prosthetics can be used for patients with:

• Birth defects, such as cleft lip and cleft palate, and who need support for structures for swallowing, chewing, and speech.
• Trauma and injuries resulting from accidents, gunshot wounds, assaults, and suicide attempts.
• Cancer of the head and neck, where the desired outcome includes not just curing of the cancer but also an attempt to preserve form and function to retain an acceptable quality of life.

As a result of his numerous years of specialty training, Dr. DiFazio will choose the best method to help support your needs:

• Maxillofacial prosthetics offers treatment for patients with acquired and congenital defects of the head, neck, and maxillofacial region. These issues could be the result of cancer, trauma, surgery, or birth defects. Treatment can include the planning and fabrication of maxillary obturators, speech-aid prosthesis, and mandibular-resection prosthesis. Facial prostheses can include artificial eyes, nose, and ears.
• Maxillofacial implants can successfully address trauma and dentofacial deformities and permit reconstruction of the jaw after ablative surgery while also restoring lost stomatographic apparatuses. Procedures can include titanium implants in bone plates as well as screws and dental implants. Bone plates and screws, when engaged to strengthen thin bone plates, fractured bone fragments, and osteotomised segments, can provide rigid structures and three-dimensional fragment stability.

In addition complicated procedures like these, prosthodontic care can also be used for:

• Teeth whitening
• Dental veneers
• Tooth-colored fillings
• Dental bonding
• Partial and full dentures
• Bridges
• Crowns

A maxillofacial prosthodontist like Dr. DiFazio can facilitate a number of extraoral and intraoral prosthetic solutions, including:

• Ocular prosthesis – replaces eye
• Orbital prosthesis – Replaces eye and surrounding tissues
• Auricular prosthesis – Replaces ear
• Nasal prosthesis – Replaces nose
• Midfacial prosthesis – Replaces part of the face which may involve more than
  one structure
• Somatic prosthesis – Replaces a body part like fingers, hands, etc.
• Radiation shield – Worn during radiation therapy for protection of normal tissues
• Surgical obturator prosthesis – Covers palate after partial or total loss of the maxilla (upper jaw); used after surgery to provide closure
• Interim and definitive obturator – Covers palate after partial or total loss of maxilla or due to cleft palate; restores teeth and gums and has an extension which closes the defect or hole for swallowing, eating, chewing, and speaking
• Palatal lift prosthesis – Helps soft palate assume correct position for speech
• Palatal augmentation (drop) prosthesis – Alters palate prosthetically for speech
• Mandibular resection prosthesis – Replaces portion of the jaw that has been lost and restores gums and teeth
• Fluoride carrier – Tray filled with fluoride gel for patients with dry mouth from medications, radiation therapy, or certain medical conditions. Helps to strengthen, protect and preserve compromised teeth

Dr. Joseph DiFazio is an American Board of Prosthodontics board-certified prosthodontist and maxillofacial prosthodontics in West Long Branch, New Jersey who also serves patients in Eatontown, Long Branch, Little Silver, Monmouth Beach, Red Bank, Tinton Falls, Asbury Park, Bradley Park, Neptune City, and other parts of central New Jersey.

Dr. DiFazio is focused on preventative care and overall oral health. In addition to maxillofacial surgery, he offers complete esthetics and restoration, dental implants, medical collaboration, and a host of other services dedication to your overall health and well-being.

To learn more about maxillofacial prosthetics and how it can be used to provide relief and treatment for you, please call or request an appointment today. We encourage and accept dental referrals. Contact Dr. DiFazio in West Long Branch, New Jersey at (732) 542-0011 or use our online appointment request form today! Dr. DiFazio welcomes patients from Jersey Shore, Monmouth County, Mercer County, Middlesex County, Ocean County, central New Jersey, and eastern New Jersey.