The Department of Prosthodontics and Implantology at SRM Kattankulathur Dental College & Hospital has enabled a quick restoration of a patient with facial defect using “Silicone Cheek Prosthesis“.
Silicone Cheek Prosthesis
The patient, a 53-year old male, was not able to socialize with others because of the defect in the cheek. The team at Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery headed by Dr. Vivek aided in removing the squamous cell carcinoma developed in the cheek. The patient was then referred to Maxillofacial Rehabilitation Department to rectify the defect left behind after the removal of the tumor in the cheek. The defect was successfully rectified through “Silicone Cheek Prosthesis” by Dr. Vidyashree Nandini (Professor & Head, Prosthodontics) with her team. She said, “After the restoration of the defect on the cheek he was able to attend a social gathering the same day.” The cheek prosthesis made of silicone material, in this instant, replaces the lost part of the cheek thereby camouflaging the existing defect.
She added that “Injury, accidents, tumors can result in body parts being lost or removed surgically. Artificial replacement of lost body parts is called a prosthesis; silicone and acrylic polymers are the materials used in the prosthetic process. Silicone has the quality of mimicking nature closely. Such replacements can also be given for lost parts of the eye, ear, nose, cheek, etc, in the Maxillofacial Prosthetic section.”
This process requires high-end skills, with advanced materials and technology. It is available only in a few centers in the country and SRM Kattankulathur Dental College & Hospital is one among them.
Overall, about 10 adults per 100,000 develop oral cancer during their lifetime. Oral cancer rates are significantly higher for males than for females. The removal of such tumors commonly results in defects. In such situations, defects are constructed using artificial replacements with so that affected person/s have a better quality of life.
