AwarenessoftheMaxillofacialProsthodonticsSubspecialtyBySujeyMorganWheneverIamaskedmyprofession,IrespondthatIamaMaxillofacialProsthodontist.ThetermisnotknownbymanyandmostpeopleassumethatIamasurgeonofsomesort.Bytrainingthough,Iamadentist.MaxillofacialProsthodonticsisasubspecialtyofProsthodontics—oneoftheninespecialtiesofdentistry—thatmanagesthereplacementandrestorationoflostormissingstructuresandfunctionsintheheadandneckregion.MaxillofacialProsthodonticsisaverysmallfield.Therearefewerthan300intheUnitedStates.TheprofessionalassociationiscalledtheAmericanAcademyofMaxillofacialProsthetics(AAMP).Ourmissionistopromoteeducationandresearchandadvocateforthecareofthepatientswhoneedourservice.MaxillofacialProsthodontistsworkaspartofamulti-disciplinaryteaminHeadandNeckdepartmentsatvarioushospitalsanduniversities.Weworkcloselywithoralandmaxillofacialsurgeons,plasticsurgeons,ear,noseandthroatsurgeons,oncologists,pathologists,speechtherapists,occupationaltherapistsandphysiotherapists.Ourroleinvolvestherehabilitationofpatientswithdefectsordisabilitiesthatwerepresentatbirth,developedfollowingtraumaoracquiredfollowingcancerorotherdiseases.Onecommonprocedureisthefabricationofamaxillaryobturator.

Thisprosthesisisaremovabledenturethatfillsavoidintheupperjawthatwascreatedaftertheremovalofatumororwaspresentatbirthsuchaswithacleftpalate.MaxillofacialProsthodontistsarealsoinvolvedinthereplacementofmissingteeth,eyes,earsandnoses.

TrainingtobecomeaMaxillofacialProsthodontistinvolvescompletionofaone-yearfellowshipfollowingatraditionalthree-yearprosthodonticresidency.Thefellowshipisusuallyinahospital-basedenvironmenttreatingpatientswhoareundergoingsurgicaltreatment,chemotherapy,andradiationtherapy.Formoreinformation,youmaycontactmeatsujey.morgan@tufts.edu.

Acknowledgment

Tufts University

American Academy Of Maxillofacial Prosthetics

Postgraduate Prosthodontics Program

TUSDM

3dMD