Frequently, I am called to see patients in the emergency room for facial trauma. Any lacerations that require immediate attention I typically close in the emergency room. Then, depending upon the type of fracture, we usually need to wait anywhere from two to seven days for the swelling to subside prior to repairing the fracture itself. During this time we can discuss the facial reconstructive surgery.
Depending upon how severe your fracture was and the number of maneuvers needed to repair your fracture, you may or may not need to have your jaw wired shut. Typically, for fractures of the mandible or lower jaw, we try to place hardware on the fractures to give rigid fixation to the fracture site. This rigid stabilization frequently obviates the need to have your jaw wired shut or at least significantly reduces the time necessary for you to have your jaw wired shut.
Often, I prefer to keep the jaw wired shut for a short period of time early on to act as a splint. This can also prevent stiffness at the temporomandibular joint.
There are many ways in which to repair an orbital floor fracture. Frequently, a small piece of mesh can be placed in the floor of the orbit to re-stabilize the eye. In young individuals who are active, I sometimes prefer to use a piece of cartilage from the ear to buttress the eye. Every facial reconstructive surgery will depend on the individual’s facial trauma and age.
Typically with children, I like to remove the sutures early and use suture material that is not reactive to the skin. The second most important factor is to avoid sun exposure. I tell parents that we usually wait anywhere from six months to one year prior to performing any scar revisions or laser treatments to soften the scars.
Yes. Frequently, plastic & reconstructive surgeons are called upon to repair defects in the face caused by skin cancers. There are many ways to repair these. Sometimes the defects can be repaired with skin grafts or a flap of skin is necessary to be rotated into the defect. We can perform these facial reconstructive surgeries in the hospital or in the surgery center.
Moving Forward With Facial Reconstructive Surgery
1- Call Dr. Dickinson office or email us to set up a consultation.
2- Once Dr. Dickinson has consulted with you, he may perform your facial reconstructive surgery in the hospital or in the Newport Beach surgery center.
