Recovering from a trauma to the mouth takes time and care- observes a dentist in the city of Leeds. It can leave psychological scars as well as physical ones and the practise of maxillofacial surgery is designed to relieve the physical issues by surgery to the mouth, jaw, head and neck that are results of disease, injury or congenital conditions- procedures that correct normal occlusion (bite) issues that cannot be treated by braces. The surgery can be complex and both an othodontist and a maxillofacial surgeon will collaborate at the planning stage. X-rays and photographs will be used in designing computer generated images, predicting the shape of the face post operation. During the operation, both jaws may be operated on. Bones will be cut and adjusted and then secrewed back together to re-construct the shape of the face. This can normally be achieved from inside the mouth, but once the treatment is finished, it is the job of the orthodontist to over-see the rewiring of the jaw and the use of retainers and braces to ensure that the occlusion is correct. The recovery period can be lengthy depending on the complexity of the operation- anything from a few weeks to a year. The patient will need constant monitoring at first to check for infection and healing and will be put on an all-liquid diet, an important factor to the healing process. As the mouth heals, solids foods will be introduced into the diet. Once the healing process is complete and the braces and wiring removed, the patient can then think about restoring their look through more standard othodontic practices and cosmetic dentistry.
