Maxillofacial surgery

Including Dentistry and Oral Surgery

The Maxillofacial Unit provides a comprehensive range of services to correct problems with the face, mouth, teeth and jaws (maxillo means jaw).

It comprises four departments: Maxillofacial Surgery, Restorative Dentistry, Orthodontics and Paediatric (Children’s) Dentistry, which work closely together and provide joint clinics where appropriate. The Unit, which provides services for patients across southwest London and surrounding areas, sees more than 700 patients a week.

The Maxillofacial Unit is accommodated in a modern, purpose-built facility which consists of nineteen surgeries/minor operation rooms, a recovery suite, a counselling room, and a teaching room. It has a dedicated radiology department with specialist equipment to take x-rays of the face, skull, entire jaw and inside the mouth. It also has access to day stay theatres and outpatient recovery facilities.

Department of Maxillofacial Surgery

Maxillofacial Surgery is a medical speciality which works closely with the other dental specialities of orthodontics, restorative and paediatric dentistry. The Maxillofacial Department at St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is the central hub of the southwest London Maxillofacial Network and is recognised as a Centre of Excellence, providing specialist services not available at other hospitals. Its consultants perform complex operations to restore form (appearance) and function.

The service provides surgery for:

• head and neck cancers
• facial trauma, both hard and soft tissue
• facial deformity
• reconstructive surgery of the mouth and jaws
• surgical dermatology for face and neck cancers
• minor oral surgery

The Department has six maxillofacial consultant surgeons, two staff grade surgeons, four specialist registrars, seven senior house officers and one honorary clinical attachment.

Department of Restorative Dentistry

Restorative Dentistry provides consultation and treatment services for a range of oral diseases and injuries. This is strictly limited to highest priority patient groups. These include patients with facial injuries or deformities, or head and neck cancers. It also provides dental health services to other patients with medical conditions or special needs such as patients who are immuno-compromised, who have cancer affecting their head and neck, haemophilia and other blood disorders.

The Department has six surgeries and provides an outpatient service. It is a Centre of Excellence with two consultants in restorative and implant dentistry, two specialist registrars, a specialty dentist, several clinical assistant, two hygienists and one oral health adviser. The Department enjoys a strong training reputation. It works closely with Cardiothoracic, Haematology, Haematoncology and the Head and Neck multidisciplinary team.

The Department also provides an advisory service for referred patients and also a limited treatment service for complex dental problems.

Orthodontic Department

The Orthodontic Department offers services to patients with complex dental problems. Orthodontics is the treatment of wrongly aligned and misplaced teeth to correct a person’s bite. However, St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s Orthodontics Department deals with a range of problems from dento-facial orthopaedics to severe hypodontia.

The Department has special expertise in caring for patients with deformities of the face and head which have been present since birth or developed because of abnormal growth over time. It is the largest centre for the treatment of facial deformities in south London.

It works closely with the Respiratory Medicine Department to give advice for patients with sleep-related breathing disorders. Care is also provided for young children with a variety of medical disorders and special needs in conjunction with the Paediatric Dentistry Department. The Department also provides an advisory service for referred patients. The Department enjoys a strong working relationship with Respiratory Medicine, ENT, Plastic Surgery, Genetics, and Paediatric Services.

The Orthodontic Department at St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has eight surgeries with a dedicated children’s waiting room. The Department is the hub of the southwest London Orthodontic network and a Centre of Excellence. Its staff comprises two consultants, an associate specialist, one senior specialist registrar (training to become a hospital consultant), four specialist registrars (training to become orthodontic specialists) and two overseas trainees. All the trainees have a research component to their posts and are prepared for the Masters in Orthodontics (University of London) and the Membership and Fellowship examinations of the Royal Surgical Colleges of the UK. Many UK orthodontic consultants and specialists have trained at St George’s Hospital. There are close links with several other hospitals including Guy’s, King’s and St Thomas’ Dental Institute, Kingston Hospital, and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children.

Department of Paediatric Dentistry

Paediatric Dentistry provides services for children requiring a general anaesthetic or special care not widely available at a community dentists’ practice. This will include children who are difficult to treat because of their age or behaviour, but also children with physical or mental disabilities, weak immune systems or medical or surgical conditions. Services are also provided for children whose teeth are damaged or missing because of accidents or development problems.

The Department has two surgeries which are fully equipped to give sedation and general anaesthetics. Services are provided on an out-patient, day patient and, occasionally, in-patient basis for young people across south west London and surrounding areas.

It is a Centre of Excellence led by two part-time Consultants in Paediatric Dentistry with junior doctors in training.

The Department also provides an advisory service for referred patients and also a limited treatment service for complex dental problems.