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I n the realm of oral surgery, there are some proce- dures that are carried out for non-cosmetic reasons – often related to very serious medical conditions. One such procedure, though rare, is jawbone re- moval. The circumstances that necessitate this type of operation are quite varied, including oral cavity cancer, surgical resection of a tumor appearing in the upper or lower part of the jawbone, external injuries caused by car accidents, side effects and complications from head and neck cancer radiation therapy or side effects caused by the treatment of osteoporosis. When the jawbone is lost, the patient will lose their teeth and will not be able to chew in the same way as before. Breathing will also become irregular, making it difficult to drink liquids. The changes in the struc- ture of the face, especially around the lip area, will not only cause patients to lose their confidence, but will also make it impossible for them to absorb nutrition, thus having a negative impact on their overall health. In addition, a patient’s mental well-being is greatly im- pacted, mainly because of the jarring experience of no longer being able to chew. To overcome this disability, a new jawbone has to be made, designed to replicate the structure and the function of the original jaw. This prosthesis includes a foundation for future dentures and implants, which will allow the patient to return to a balanced diet, clear pro- nunciation and more natural respiratory function. A destroyed jawbone can be reconstructed using a variety of materials: a special metallic plate (phar- maceutical product for facial aesthetic reconstruc- tion), homologous or heterologous bone or self-bone. Through the development of advanced image technol- ogy, three-dimensional CT can be used to create virtual surgical plans to reconstruct and restore the jaw in a way that is similar to its original shape. Beyond sat- isfying the functional dimension of the lost bone and tissue, these measures also cater to the aesthetic de- mands of the patient. Reconstructive jawbone surgery offers the best re- sults when the tumor resection surgical team and the reconstruction surgical team work alongside one another. Cooperating in tandem, the teams are able to establish a diagnosis and treatment plan before the surgery, plot out the surgery itself and coordinate post-surgical maintenance. For 15 years, our Oral and Maxillofacial Surgical department has made it possi- ble for these two teams to work together and deliver world-class results. The advancements in the field of reconstructive sur- gery have allowed patients to not only recover from se- rious medical conditions, but to return to a more natural facial form, vastly improving their quality of life. recovering Jaw Healt h For further information or reservations, call Ms. Kelly Soe, the English coordinator at Yonsei University Dental Hospital. +82 2 2228 8998 +82 2 363 0396 idc@yuhs.ac 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul www.yuhs.or.kr/ en/hospitals/dent_ hospital/Conserv_ dentist/Intro COLUMN • yonSeI unIVeRSIty DentaL HoSPItaL Hyung Jun Kim, DDS, Ph.D. Professor and Chairman in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Yonsei University College of Dentistry