What Is Facial Reconstructive Surgery?

Types of facial reconstruction surgery

Healthcare professionals may perform many types of facial reconstruction. They include the following:

• Facial trauma surgery: Facial trauma surgery might require resetting broken bones in your face, with or without making an incision. In a 2019 study from Italy, researchers reported the middle third of the face as the most common site of facial trauma, followed by the jaw.
• Cleft lip and palate repair: Cleft lip and cleft palate are structural irregularities from birth. Surgery for a cleft lip is usually performed between ages 3 and 6 months, while palate repair is usually performed from ages 6 to 12 months.
• Nose reconstruction (rhinoplasty): A nose reconstruction aims address concerns with your nose, either to help you breathe better or for cosmetics (reasons related to appearance). It involves changing the size or shape of your nose.
• Ear reconstruction: This reshapes the outer part of your ear. Doctors may perform it after a traumatic injury or due to a structural difference present from birth.
• Scar removal: Scar removal surgery is often done with a laser. Doctors use this procedure to remove scars caused by injury or previous surgery.
• Facial reconstruction after cancer surgery: Cancer surgery often involves removing a tumor and surrounding tissue. Reconstruction after cancer surgery involves re-creating the shape of your face.
• Facial reanimation: Also known as facial paralysis surgery, this is when a surgeon repairs the nerves that allow you to move part of your face.
• Chin augmentation: Chin augmentation aims to reshape the front of your chin. A mentoplasty refers to the reduction of material from your chin, while a genioplasty refers to an addition to your chin.
• Skin grafts: Skin grafts involve removing skin from another part of your body or a donor to cover areas on your face.
• Microvascular free tissue transfer: In this procedure, a surgeon takes skin, bone, or muscle from one part of your body and transfers it to your face to reconstruct certain facial features.
• Local tissue rearrangement: This involves using a flap of skin from one part of your face to cover another part of your face.
• Implants and prosthetics: Implants and prosthetics are artificial parts made out of materials like ceramics or plastic. They help replace parts of your face that doctors can’t transplant. For example, you might receive an implant if you’re missing bone in your cheek or jaw.

Doctors are continuing to make new surgical advances. In 2024, doctors were able to perform the first whole eye and partial face transplant.

Facial reconstruction surgery risks and complications

Every surgical procedure comes with some risks. More extensive and emergency surgeries generally have higher complication rates than scheduled nonemergency procedures.

General surgical risks can include:

• reaction to anesthesia
• severe bleeding
• shock
• infections
• scarring
• blot clots
• lung problems
• urinary retention

Facial reconstruction surgery procedures

Here’s a general idea of what to expect before, during, and after the procedure.

Before

If your surgery is an emergency surgery, you’ll receive it in an emergency room.

If your surgery is planned, you’ll need to stop eating and drinking hours before your surgery if you’re receiving general anesthesia. Often, you need to avoid eating for 6 hours and drinking for 2 hours in advance of the surgery.

During

What happens during your procedure largely depends on your type of surgery. Your surgeon might:

• take skin from other parts of your body
• take skin or other tissue from a cadaver
• make incisions to access bone or other deep tissues
• set your bones without incisions
• repair damaged or missing teeth

After

You’ll likely wake up after your procedure with bandages on your face. You may have pain, swelling, and bruising, but their degree can depend on the severity and location of your injuries.

Preparing for facial reconstruction surgery

If the procedure is planned, your surgeon will likely administer many tests to examine the extent of the surgery needed and to assess whether you’re in good enough overall health to receive surgery.

Recovering from facial reconstruction surgery

Recovery from facial reconstruction surgery and underlying injuries can be a long process.

If you have brain damage from an injury to your head, you may have improvements in cognitive function for years. Recovery from traumatic brain injury is usually quickest in the first 3 to 6 months after the injury.

Facial reconstruction surgery recovery time

Your recovery timeline depends on the extent of your procedure and injuries. If you receive a full-thickness skin graft, you’ll likely have bandages left in place for 5 to 7 days.

If you have facial fractures, it’s important to avoid knocks or bumps for at least 6 to 8 weeks.

Most adults with a broken jaw will need their jaw fixed into place for 4 to 6 weeks.

How much does facial reconstruction surgery cost?

The cost of facial reconstruction surgeries can depend on factors like:

• the extent of your procedure
• your geographic location
• the hospital or location where you have it performed

A full facial reconstructive surgery can be very expensive and can cost more than $100,000. Smaller procedures usually cost significantly less. For example, the average cost of rhinoplasty is $7,637 based on the latest statistics by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Takeaway

Facial reconstruction surgery is used to re-create part of your face after traumatic injuries, due to birth irregularities, or following previous surgery. Many types of surgery are performed.

Facial reconstruction may be performed as an emergency surgery or as a planned procedure. Generally, planned procedures have lower complication rates and better outcomes.