Q. What does TMJ mean? A. Joint of the lower jaw. Signs and symptoms of TMJ disorder:
• Consistent pain radiating from the jawbone area
• An inability to comfortably open or close the mouth
• Eating difficulty
• Limited jaw mobility
• Neck & shoulders pain
• Dental damage
• Headaches/ migraines
• Ear pain or tinnitus
• Eye pain
We may recommend surgical solutions if you have tried non-surgical treatments for TMJ disorder e.g., the use of pain killers, night guards, Botox injection and muscles relaxant Arthroscopy During this surgery, a small hole is made above the jaw joint. Then we use this opening to insert special surgical tools with a light attached. They then adjust the muscle, bone, and ligaments of the joint as needed to provide relief. This procedure overs a significantly shorter recovery time with a lower risk of complication.

Also called maxillofacial trauma, is any physical trauma to the face. Facial trauma can involve soft tissue injuries such as burns, lacerations and bruises or fractures of the facial bones such as nasal fractures and fractures of the jaw, as well as trauma such as eye injuries. Symptoms are specific to the type of injury; for example, fractures may involve pain, swelling, loss of function, or changes in the shape of facial structures. Facial injuries have the potential to cause disfigurement and loss of function for example, blindness or difficulty moving the jaw can result. Although it is seldom life-threatening, facial trauma can also be deadly because it can cause severe bleeding or interference with the airway thus a primary concern in treatment is ensuring that the airway is open and not threatened so that the patient can breathe. Depending on the type of facial injury, treatment may include bandaging and suturing of open wounds, administration of ice, antibiotics and pain killers, moving bones back into place, and surgery. When fractures are suspected radiography is used for diagnosis. Treatment may also be necessary for other injuries such as traumatic brain injury, which commonly accompany severe facial trauma

If you experience any lumps or ulcer present in the mouth, face and/or neck for more than three weeks, it is imperative to see and get examined by a head and neck surgeon. This will allow the surgeon to carry out investigation and diagnose the cancer in its early stage. There are multiple diagnostic methods such as MRI, CT scan, PET scan and also doing a biopsy from the lumps to diagnose cancer. The head and neck cancer are the 16th most common killing cancer in the world and ranks third in the Middle East. Oral cancer, also known as mouth cancer, is cancer of the lining of the lips, mouth or upper throat. In the mouth, it most commonly starts as a painless white patch that thickens, develops red patches, an ulcer, and continues to grow. Dr. Jehad Al Sukhun has more than 10 years of experience in successfully dealing and treating Head & Neck Cancer

What is a cleft lip/ palate? An orofacial (or-oh-FAY-shul) cleft is when a baby is born with an opening in the lip and/ or roof of the mouth (palate). Cleft lip and cleft and cleft palate happen is one of the most common birth defects. Both cleft lip and cleft palate are treatable. Most kids can have surgery to repair them within the first year or two of life.

How do clefts of the lip/ palate happen?
During the first 6 to 10 weeks of pregnancy, the bones and tissues of baby’s upper jaw, nose, and mouth normally come together (fuse) to form the roof of the lip and mouth do not completely fuse together. A cleft lip may just look like a small opening on the edge of the lip or it could extend into the nose. It may also extend into the gums. A cleft palate can vary in size. It could affect just the soft palate which is near the back of the throat, or it also could make a hole in the hard palate toward the front of the mouth.

Most clefts fit one of three categories: Cleft lip by itself- most common in boys. Cleft palate by itself- most common in girls. Cleft lip and cleft palate together- more common in boys. Children with a cleft lip palate may need several treatments and assessments as they grow up. The cleft is usually treated with surgery. Other treatments, such as speech therapy or dental care, may be needed for associated symptoms. Your child will be cared for by a specialist multidisciplinary cleft team. Children with clefts will have a care plan tailored to meet their individual needs.

The timetable for treatment of cleft lip and palate is:
• Birth to six weeks- feeding assistance, support for parents, hearing tests and pediatric assessment
• 3-6 months- surgery to repair a cleft lip
• 6-12 months- surgery to repair a cleft palate
• 18 months- speech assessment
• 3 years- speech assessment
• 5 years- speech assessment
• 8-12 years- bone graft to a cleft in the gum area
• 12-15 years- orthodontic treatment and monitoring jaw growth
• Your child will also need to attend regular outpatient appointments at the cleft clinic so their condition can be monitored closely and any problems can be dealt with. These will usually be recommended until they’re around 21 years of age, when they’re likely to have stopped growing.

There are patients having returned or protruded upper/ lower jaws. This results in poor speech, breathing diffculties, facial bone abnormalities effecting the look and the facial profile. To treat these cases, we do what is called (Orthognathic Surgery). Once the treatment is completed there are significant improvements in speech, pronunciation occlusion, biting, breathing and major improvement in the outlook and facial profile. Orthognathic surgery maybe the only resort to treat the Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction.