Facial deformities and their treatment

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Craniofacial Surgery
• Developmental Biology

Background:

• Facial deformities significantly impact individual identity and cannot be easily concealed.
• These deformities often stem from the bony facial skeleton, presenting as congenital or acquired conditions.
• Both form and function are disturbed in congenital deformities, while acquired deformities result from tissue loss due to trauma or surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the principles of correcting facial deformities, considering their origins and impact.
• To emphasize the importance of functional and aesthetic reconstruction in managing craniofacial abnormalities.
• To define optimal timing for surgical intervention in relation to skeletal growth and development.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of congenital and acquired facial deformities affecting the bony skeleton.
• Evaluation of the relationship between occlusion and facial form.
• Review of surgical strategies including early intervention, post-growth correction, and tissue grafting.

Main Results:

• Occlusion is consistently affected in deformities of the central and lower face, with reciprocal effects on facial form.
• Congenital deformities with functional disturbances require early correction, often followed by secondary procedures after growth.
• Deformities solely affecting skeletal proportions are best corrected after growth cessation; tissue defects are managed with grafts.

Conclusions:

• Correction of facial deformities necessitates the restoration of normal occlusion.
• The timing of surgical intervention is critical, balancing functional needs during growth with aesthetic outcomes after growth completion.
• Management of developmental disturbances from local diseases involves functional correction during growth and definitive reconstruction post-growth.