A fall or a road accident can break the bones that give the face its shape, and leave scars that tighten as they heal. Post traumatic facial reconstruction works through those problems in order, restoring structure first and refining appearance later.
Post traumatic facial reconstruction is surgery that restores the face after an injury. Broken bones are moved back into position and held with small plates, torn tissue is repaired or replaced, and scars are treated once healing settles. Work is often staged, because bone, nerve and skin recover at different speeds. The aim is a face that works and looks like your own again.
Facial injury rarely damages only one thing. A blow heavy enough to break the cheek bone can also bruise the eye, split the skin and loosen teeth, so the first job is to work out exactly what has been hurt. Examination and a CT scan together map the fractures, and the plan follows from that map rather than from how swollen the face looks on the day.
Bone comes first. Broken segments are moved back to where they belong and held with plates and screws, usually through incisions placed inside the mouth, inside the hairline or along the natural crease of the eyelid. Getting the framework right restores what everything else sits on, including the bite and the position of the eye.
Soft tissue follows. Torn skin, muscle and nerve are repaired, and missing tissue is replaced with a graft or a flap. Scar treatment usually comes last, since a scar that is still red and firm will keep softening on its own for many months, and judging it too early leads to surgery that was never needed.
Suitability depends on what the injury damaged, how long ago it happened and how healthy the tissues are now. A careful assessment with scans usually settles the question.
Examination covers vision, bite, sensation and breathing, not appearance alone. A CT scan shows every fracture line, and photographs record the starting point so that later changes can be judged fairly.
Surgeon and patient agree what will be done first and what can wait. Bone position, eye function and airway take priority, while scar refinement is deliberately kept for a later sitting.
Fractures are exposed through hidden incisions, brought back into line and fixed with titanium plates and screws. The bite is checked during surgery, sometimes by wiring the teeth together for a short period.
Torn muscle, nerve and skin are repaired. Where tissue is missing, a graft or a local flap brings in replacement, and eyelid or lip position is restored so those parts keep working.
Healing is then watched over several months with photographs at each visit. Once swelling has gone and scars have softened, smaller procedures can address contour, scar quality or any remaining unevenness.
Swelling and bruising peak in this window and can look alarming. Pain relief, ice and head elevation help, and a soft or liquid diet is usual when the jaw has been fixed.
Stitches are removed and swelling starts to fall. Many people feel well enough for quiet activity at home, though the face still looks and feels stiff.
Bone is usually solid by now, diet widens and light exercise resumes. Numb patches over the cheek or lip may persist and often improve slowly.
Scars fade and soften over this period. Any planned second stage, such as scar revision or contour work, is normally timed once things have settled.
Most people regain a face that works well and looks close to how it did before. Even so, fine scars remain visible, small differences between the two sides are common, and patches of numbness can last. Severe injuries often need more than one operation spread across months. Recovery can vary a great deal depending on what was damaged and how soon it was treated, so honest photographs and plain discussion matter more than any promise.
Facial reconstruction is generally well tolerated, yet every operation carries risk and these are discussed openly before consent.
Much of the outcome is decided in the weeks after discharge, and simple habits protect the repair.
Swelling always fades, but a displaced bone stays where it is. Fractures that are left long enough heal in the wrong position and are far harder to correct later.
A young scar is red, firm and still changing. Waiting until it matures gives a clearer picture of what actually needs revising, and usually a better result.
Titanium plates are small and normally stay in place without trouble. They are removed only when they cause symptoms, not as a routine step.
Severe facial injury is usually treated in stages. Bone position and function come first, with appearance refined once tissues have settled.
Facial trauma work at Elegance Clinic in Surat is planned as one continuous course of care, from the first scan through bone fixation to later scar refinement, with the same team following the patient throughout.
Cost after facial trauma depends on how many fractures need fixing, how much hardware is used, whether soft tissue has to be replaced and how long the admission runs. Because no two injuries are alike, a figure is quoted only after examination and scans, and it is given to you in writing before admission. Accident related surgery is usually covered by mediclaim policies and by many government schemes, and the team will help assemble the paperwork.
These are the questions that come up most often in consultation. If yours is not here, send it on WhatsApp and the team will reply, usually the same day.
Ask your question →There is no single figure, because the number of fractures, the hardware needed and the length of stay all change the total. A written estimate is prepared once examination and scans are done, and it is shared with you before admission so nothing is a surprise.
Accident related facial surgery is reconstructive rather than cosmetic, so most mediclaim policies and many government schemes cover it. Approval usually needs admission notes, scan reports and photographs. Room rent limits and waiting periods written into your own policy will still apply.
Facial fracture surgery is a routine part of reconstructive practice and is generally well tolerated under general anaesthesia. Risks such as infection, numbness and visible scarring do exist and are explained beforehand. Fitness for anaesthesia is checked with blood tests and a physician review.
Swelling peaks in the first three days and then falls steadily. Many people manage quiet activity at home within two weeks, and bone is usually solid by around six weeks. Numb patches and scar changes can carry on for several months afterwards.
The aim is a face that works properly and looks close to the original. Fine scars, small differences between the two sides and patches of altered sensation often remain. Photographs from before the injury help set a shared and realistic target.
Fractures are best fixed within the first days to two weeks, while the bone still moves easily. Older injuries can still be improved, though the surgery becomes more involved. An early assessment is worth arranging even if you feel the injury was minor.
Bring any X ray or CT images already taken, discharge papers from the emergency visit, a list of your medicines and a few photographs from before the injury. Writing your questions down helps, since a lot is discussed in one sitting.
Seeing patients from across the city and beyond: read about the practice on the plastic surgeon in Surat page, or check what a written estimate covers on the costs and insurance page.
