Reconstructive Procedures

Cleft Lip and Palate One of the most common conditions encountered at our craniofacial clinic is the infant, child, or young adult with a cleft lip and/or palate anomaly. These patients may present as infants with unrepaired clefts, as recently adopted children from foreign countries, or as patients who are new to our team but have a history of care with another team.	Skin Cancer Skin cancer is diagnosed by removing all or part of a skin growth and examining its cells under a microscope.It can be treated by a number of methods, depending on the type of cancer, its stage of growth, and its location on your body.
Wound Care During wound care, a technique called direct closure is usually performed on skin-surface wounds that have straight edges, such as a simple cut. Maximum attention is given to the aesthetic result, taking extra care to minimize noticeable stitch marks. In some cases, tissue expansion, a graft, flap surgery or microsurgery may be necessary.	Scar Revision Plastic surgeons can often improve the appearance of a scar, making it less obvious through the injection or application of certain steroid medications or through surgical procedures known as scar revisions.
Tissue Expansion Tissue expansion is a relatively straightforward procedure that enables the body to "grow" extra skin for use in reconstructing almost any part of the body. A silicone balloon expander is inserted under the skin near the area to be repaired and then gradually filled with salt water over time, causing the skin to stretch and grow.	Facial Reconstruction Dr. Baker is one of the only specialists in the United States with formal, recognized training in maxillofacial, plastic, craniofacial, and pediatric plastic surgery. His 15 years of training after college give him unparalleled expertise in assessing and restoring facial proportion and structure of both the soft tissues and the underlying skeletal structures of the face.
General Reconstruction It's estimated that more than one million reconstructive procedures are performed by plastic surgeons every year. Reconstructive surgery helps patients of all ages and types - whether it's a child with a birth defect, a young adult injured in an accident, or an older adult with a problem caused by aging.	Jaw Surgery Jaw Surgery Orthognathic (jaw) Surgery requires establishing ideal occlusion with the jaws in the most aesthetic facial position. Dr. Baker has written many chapters on orthognathic surgery. His goal is to employ the aesthetic principles of plastic surgery to place the jaws in the ideal functional position but enhance facial aesthetics as well.