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Midfacial resection patient
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Midfacial prosthesis attached to maxillary obturator |
Medical Art Resources, Inc. serves patients with absent facial anatomy due to surgical removal of a tumor or subsequent to traumatic injury including burns. Some of our patients are born with a facial difference such as microtia, which may be related to hemifacial microsomia or Treacher Collins syndrome.
We are sensitive to the fact that absent facial anatomy causes emotional distress in addition to the loss of function. We work to reduce emotional distress by providing exceptional prosthetic rehabilitation. Most of our patients are referred following surgical removal of a tumor or subsequent to a traumatic injury. Some of our patients are born with a facial difference, such as microtia. Burn survivors may also benefit from prosthetic rehabilitation. We create prosthetic devices for any missing facial feature or anatomical structure including nasal (nose), ocular and orbital (eye and eyelids), auricular (ear), partial facial, as well as more extensive prostheses.
Each prosthesis is custom-made in our own laboratory, allowing us to ensure that our quality standards are carefully followed. Our custom prostheses are distinguished by:
- lifelike contours and texture,
- realistic color match, and
- precise fit for a subtle blend at the margins.
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Extensive orbital & facial tissue loss |
Adhesive retained hemifacial prosthesis |
Our goal in the construction of any prosthesis is to restore anatomical form and function. The prosthesis may function to close open defects improving patient comfort, protect sensitive tissue, and support eyeglasses and/or hearing devices. In the case of an ear prosthesis, some acoustic improvement may be realized through restoration of the external ear.
A facial prosthesis is secured using medical grade adhesives, anatomical retention, and/or
craniofacial bone anchored implants. Increasingly, we use bone anchored implants to simplify use of the prosthesis, add security and stability to the prosthesis, and extend the useful life of the prosthesis. When craniofacial implants are selected for retention, we team with surgical specialists and provide the surgeon with a surgical template to guide location of implant placement.
Craniofacial bone anchored implants provide several advantages over adhesive retention including the following:
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| Click on images to view a larger image |
enhanced aesthetic result with very thin edges that blend
with the natural skin;
- useful life expectancy of the prosthesis is extended;
- the prosthesis is attached with precision and ease;
- patients report greater confidence in secure retention; and
- inconvenience of cleaning of adhesive products from the skin is avoided.
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We specialize in bone anchored implants
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A prosthesis retained by implants is secure and stable |
Three implants with magnetic attachments secure an upper facial prosthesis |
A secure upper facial prosthesis |
Placement of craniofacial bone anchored implants requires one or two minor surgical procedures. Threaded titanium fixtures are surgically implanted into the bone by your surgeon. Then a connection component, called the abutment, is installed onto the fixture. The abutment extends through a small surgical opening in the skin. Your surgeon may also thin the skin around the abutment to prevent soft tissue complications. The implants are allowed to heal for three months, permitting a bond or osseointegration to form between the titanium fixture and the bone.
After the healing phase, we take a new moulage and attach specialized components that provide secure attachment of the prosthesis. The most commonly used retention components are magnets and/or a gold bar framework with corresponding clips in the prosthesis. The standard design and fabrication process is then followed with slight modifications.
For more information about craniofacial bone-anchored implants you may want to view the website www.vistafix.cochlear.com
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