A facial cleft is an opening or gap in the face. A facial cleft positioned horizontally on the face is called lateral facial cleft. When the cleft occurs from the corner of the mouth & extends across the cheek towards the ear, it gives an impression that the mouth is unusually large (macrostomia). 

Lateral facial clefts may occur alone or in combination with other anomalies like hemifacial microsomia. This is characterized by facial asymmetry as a result of decreased growth of one side of the face. Maxillofacial Surgeon Dr. S.M. Balaji excels in the surgical correction of lateral facial clefts with minimal scarring. He successfully employs the advanced technique of simultaneous Maxillary & Mandibular distraction osteogenesis to restore facial symmetry and enhance facial appearance & function. 

The shape, size & proportion of the nose define the attractiveness of the face to a large extent. Defects of the nose affect the appearance and can make the person to become embarrassed about their looks.

Rhinoplasty or nose surgery is done to correct nasal defects. Maxillofacial Surgeon Dr. S.M. Balaji is credited with achieving great results in enhancing the aesthetics of the nose & in-turn the face with rhinoplasty. Seen here are photographs of a patient who had a humped nose. Following reduction rhinoplasty, the nose was reshaped & given a sharper, natural form improving the profile. The surgery done from inside the nose caused no scarring.   

Dental implants are the best option for replacing missing teeth. These require good quality & quantity of bone available in the jaw. Dr. S.M. Balaji applies advanced technologies & surgical techniques to successfully create new bone in the jaws to facilitate implant placement. Alveolar distraction osteogenesis is one technique used to increase the vertical height of the jaw bone. As a result of the distraction process, the volume of both bone & soft tissue is increased. The reconstructed area of the jaw is then suitable for further rehabilitation with implants.  

If the upper jaw is disproportionately large & protruding, it greatly affects the facial profile giving an unpleasant appearance. There is inability to close the mouth normally & also a “gummy smile”. This can be corrected with orthognathic surgery or corrective jaw surgery. The bony excess of the upper jaw is removed & repositioned in alignment with the lower jaw. The results are immediate & the appearance improves greatly. The face is given a more balanced form and that too without any scars since the surgery is done from within the mouth. 

Primary cleft lip repair surgery is done in infancy. As the child grows, the scar thickens and results in a very thin upper lip. This can be successfully corrected with abbe flap technique. A flap of tissue is taken from the lower lip, rotated across the mouth and sutured to the upper lip with the base of the flap still attached to the lower lip to maintain the blood supply. In males, the flap is taken along with hair follicles to ensure growth of the moustache. After blood supply is established, the flap is divided and normal form and function of upper lip is restored.

Rhinoplasty or surgical nose correction is to make a broad, flattened nose to sharp & pristine. Surgical procedure was done from inside the nose so no scarring caused.