Diagnoses and Procedures

The world of medicine has a language all its own and Dr. Brockhoff does an excellent job of simplifying complex terminology in his conversations with his patients. In some instances, however, a formal term must be used and so he created this vocabulary list to clear up any potential confusion.

Ameloblastoma

This is a rare benign tumor derived from a portion of the tooth during development.  It is much more often found in the lower jaw than the upper jaw.  Rarely, they can be malignant or metastatic, but more often found to be benign.  However, even though benign, they can grow very aggressively causing significant abnormalities and deformities to the jaws and face.  They can even obstruct the nasal or oral airways, requiring surgical intervention.

Read more here.

Facial Trauma

There are many possible causes of facial trauma including motor vehicle collisions, falls, sports injuries, interpersonal violence, and work related injuries. Traumatic facial injuries can range from a simple cut to complex fractures of the facial bones with injury to special structures such as the eyes, nerves, and salivary glands.

Fibula Free Flap

Maxillectomy

A fibula free flap is one way of filling a bone defect in either the upper, or the lower jaw.  It is a common way of replacing bone that has been removed for cancer treatment or non-cancer that involves removal of bone.